


In a crowd of thousands

by PerriewinkleNerdie



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-07 21:40:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 29,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20463746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerriewinkleNerdie/pseuds/PerriewinkleNerdie
Summary: Sent to another country to take care of a patient, they get more than they bargained for.





	1. I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, hello!  
This series got its origin from a prompt I got from a giveaway. It was supposed to be a one shot, but I quickly realized it would need a lot more than one chapter, thus the series was born.  
Enjoy! <3

Ethan got to work with kids pretty often, he saw a lot of stories. The ones that hit him the hardest were the ones where there was nothing he could do to help. Like Luce Adair.

A happy girl, seven years old, her long brown hair slightly curly, big brown eyes and a smile to light up a room. She was so young, and yet life didn’t go easy on her, making her life harder than it was ever supposed to be. No one deserved to have their life cut so short, and especially not a child. Her kidneys were failing, she was under constant care of her parents and her doctors.

And her doctor was Ethan. Only him, at least until last week.

Because the case was so complicated, Naveen suggested he gets some help. He really liked the little girl. And he couldn’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t like her just as much working with him on the case. His choice was obvious.

Claire.

He wasn’t sure what they were. They kissed in Miami, after that they circled around each other. And then they loved each other, so intensely, so beautifully. Like a flame that flickers out too soon, it ended before it even started. They were in a perpetual state, floating in the air in the unknown direction.

The first time she joined him to meet Luce was a little over a week ago. The two ladies hit it off immediately, so much alike, so many things in common. Ethan could practically see how much she got attached to the little girl over the course of a few short days. They would spend all their free time with Luce, watching movies, playing games, drawing. On more than one occasion they would catch each other reading books with her. His favorite moments were the times in which he could hear Claire singing to her, Disney or not.

From that point on, he hears her voice in his dreams, his sleep has never been better.

The day it all changed was a regular day. Naveen paged him to his office, urgent matter of some sorts. When he arrived, Claire was already there, as confused as he was. He sat down next to her, looking at the chief expectantly.

“I called you both here, because I have some people here that would like to talk to you about a certain little lady you are taking care of.” He smiled, turning towards the door.

Three people entered the room. Ethan recognized the couple as Luce’s parents, though the third person was new. He greeted them, so did Claire.

“Is there anything we can do for you?” she asked, looking quickly over to Ethan, checking if he knew something.

“Nothing is wrong, if that’s what you’re worried about. We’re here to pick Luce up and take her home, but we decided to use that opportunity to talk to the two of you about Make A Wish Foundation. Luce was granted one wish, and she chose a trip to Disneyland in Paris. As you know, she cannot go on her own. She needs a doctor. Or two. And she refuses to go without her favorite pair of doctors.” Luce’s mother looked between the two of them.” That’s why we’re here. We want you to go with us and help Luce if she needs it.”

Ethan looked at Naveen and Claire, a silent question. His mentor stood up, walking around his desk.

“Everything is ready if you two agree. It will be treated as a conference. A one that’s a week long, but nonetheless. All you have to do is say yes. Though, if we’re being honest, you’ll go regardless.” He laughed, patting them both on their shoulders. “If I were you, I’d start packing as soon as you get home today. You leave in three days.”

They were left alone, silence falling slowly between them. He sneaked a look at her, trying to read her reaction. She looked over at him, their eyes met, and he felt himself slipping again. falling, hard and fast, towards her.

“So… have you ever been in Paris?” he asked her, uncertain how he should approach the subject. She just laughed, placing her hand on his arm for a short moment before they went back to work.

\------

The airport was packed with people, which wasn’t an unusual sight, but it was annoying. So many people in such a small space, it should be prohibited.

Ethan found himself waiting by the entrance, Luce standing with her parents by his side, a foundation worker with them too. They had a solid hour until they had to board the plane, so there was no rush. A flash of red entered his vision, and as he turned to the side, he saw Claire walking towards them, a single suitcase as a handbag with her. She left her luggage with the rest of their baggage and approached Luce, the little girl throwing herself at her neck, squealing in delight.

“How are you doing today, Flower?”

“We are going to Disneyland! I’m so happy!” she exclaimed, running back to her parents. Claire stood back up, being on her knees to embrace the little girl. She made her way to Ethan, smiling softly at him as she approached him. Before she could greet him, a man with a suitcase in his hand ran into her, knocking her off balance. She was falling towards the ground, fast, and she couldn’t do anything about it. But Ethan could.

He has never reacted faster in his life. Like a flash of light, he reached out for her, his arms locking around her waist, pulling her up against him. Their faces were so close together that he could see the golden specks in her green irises, they were breathing the same air. The time seemed to have stopped, leaving only them and their feelings. They were both hypnotized, unable to move. The last time they were this close was right after her hearing, the very last time he held her close, as close as he wanted. As close as he desired.

“I- uh, are you okay?” he stammered, out of breath.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for saving me. Like you always do.” Smiling, she detangled herself from him, going to talk to the father of their patient.

They boarded the plane, everything running smoothly. Ethan was sitting next to Claire, their first class seats, comfortable and soft. The preparations they had to make to make this trip happen made the last three days one of the most demanding ones he had recently. For that exact reason, the second he was sure everything was settled and safe, he felt himself slipping into a dreamless sleep.

There was music. A soft humming, the melody sweeter than any other he has ever heard. He wouldn’t complain if he could listen to that sound for the rest of his life. His head was resting on something warm and soft, allowing him a moment of comfortable bliss. Then, he woke up, realizing, bit by bit, what was happening.

He had his head on someone’s shoulder. The music he heard, the music he still hears, is being hummed by the same person. Somehow in his deep slumber he turned his whole body towards that person, his arm somehow found its way over their stomach and around their waist, pulling them both closer together. Then, the delicate and subtle scent reached his nose, and he immediately knew who he was sleeping on.

Claire.

If she was uncomfortable, she didn’t let it show, her muscles were relaxed, breathing even, heartbeat steady. He knew he should probably sit back up and apologize, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He missed her. So much, that it hurt him physically. And now, even if for a short moment, he could have her close again. He wasn’t ready to let her go. Not yet.

For the next fifteen minutes he continued to embrace her, breathing in her scent steadily, before, as convincingly as he could, waking up. She looked at him, amused, but said nothing, only smiled.

Landing, as the rest of their flight, was smooth and without any complications. Soon, they were retrieving their bags and equipment, making their way to the front entrance of the building. A car was waiting for them to take them to their hotel. Claire sat down by the window, Ethan next to her. The colorful streets, full of life, flashed in front of their eyes, filling their imagination with various pictures. She felt movement behind her, and there he was. Ethan leaned over her, both of them watching though the window as the Eiffel Tower came into the view. He was close to her, his breathing tickled the skin of her cheek.

“Welcome to Paris.”


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Paris, nothing is what it seemed to be.

They got to their hotel, in the middle of the city, with rooms so high up that you could see most of Paris. Their cars stopped by the entrance, two men approached them to help with their luggage as Luce’s mother and foundation worker went inside to check them in. That gave Ethan and Claire a moment alone, no rush to get out of the car.

“So, did you sleep well? Those plane seats are so uncomfortable, right?” she was smiling so widely her cheeks were hurting, but it was worth it. Everything was worth it when it came to teasing him.

At that precise moment he realized that she was aware he was awake while hugging her. And, to his surprise, she seemed to have nothing against that. He tried fighting a reaction, but his body has betrayed him. Not the first time, certainly not the last.

“I- Claire, I’m so-“

“Oh, don’t say that. I don’t want you to be sorry for it. It’s not like it’s the first time we were so close, right?” she winked softly before nodding towards the door which were now open. He shook his head after a few seconds, his mind snapping out of a spell she put him under. He got out first, extending his hand to help her out. She took it, their fingers brushing softly, their eyes meeting for a moment that lasted only a few seconds, but to him seemed like eternity. Sparks flew where their skin touched, electric charge running up his fingers and along his arm.

Natalie, Luce’s mother, approached them with an uneasy look on her face. Ethan could feel his stomach drop, the worst thoughts entering his mind. She stood in front of them, her hands locked, papers she was holding crumbled a little.

“Is everything alright?” Claire jumped at the opportunity to ask, feeling his body going stiff next to her.

“Yes and no. We are checked in, but there seems to be a problem with your room.”

“Our… room?” Ethan was utterly confused, looking at Claire for answers she didn’t have, as taken off guard as he was.

“Yes. They made a mistake and put you in a double studio room instead of a double suit. Now, I realize it’s a little uncomfortable, since you are a couple and that can be a problem but-“

“We… are not a couple.” Claire cleared up, a hint of regret and tension in her voice. Ethan felt his heart squeeze at that sound.

“Oh… I just thought… well then, the rooms you have now, the double studio I mentioned earlier? It’s basically two separate rooms with a double door in between. You can move between both of them without going out into the hallway. I figured it would be better for you than separate rooms, but now that you-“

“That’s actually pretty useful. Thank you, Mrs. Adair.” Claire smiled warmly at the woman, her eyes sneaking a look at Ethan, searching for confirmation or denial of her words on his part. He wasn’t opposed to the idea of that arrangement, it would certainly make their work easier. And, possibly, their private communication too.

“Please, call me Natalie. We have the rest of the day to settle in, get some rest, fight the jetlag. We’ll meet for dinner if nothing else comes up earlier.”

They were left alone, keycards in hand, silence between them. Neither knew what to say, both too afraid to break the lock that held them together in that moment. Without a word, they walked towards their rooms, separating at the door. Ethan looked over at her, drinking in her face, her reactions, her emotions, written clearly all over her features. She seemed tired and conflicted by something. Before he could ask what had her mind so troubled, she went through her door, leaving him in the corridor alone.

His room was full of light, big windows showing the view, high above the ground he could see the city bathed in the soft light of the afternoon sky. The double bed in the middle, the door to the bathroom to his left, a small shelf and cabinet to his right. And, on the other wall, another door, leading to the other room. Leading to _her_.

He pressed the doorknob, pulling towards him, the wooden panel giving in, sliding open. He was met with the sight of another pair of doors, on her side. He was about to knock, when they opened too, and there she was.

“So…”

“I think we should keep them open. It will be easier than to run around the hall. Wouldn’t you agree?” she asked, her eyes on him. He noticed how her eyelids were dropping with every second that passed.

“Yes, I agree. Now, get some sleep. You look as though you’re about to pass out right in front of me, I wouldn’t want that.” His hand pressed softly against her arm and the tingling sensation on his skin was back. There was something about her that brought his body to life every time she was near. He couldn’t explain it, he just had to accept it.

“You should get some sleep too, Ethan. I’ll see you later.” With a final smile, they both closed their respective doors, two panels of wood between them.

Ethan retreated back to his bed, laying down, staring at the ceiling. What was supposed to be a work-related trip quickly turned into a fight to survive and to control himself. He was keeping himself together for now, but what would happen when his heart and body decide they no longer care or that they have had enough and he just relents? What if she doesn’t want him to relent? What if she wants to keep their relationship as it is now, colleagues, friends?

With all those thoughts, he fell into a dreamless sleep, the exhaustion taking over.

\-----

When he woke up, the sky was purple, turning navy. The city below him was sprinkled with lights, illuminating the streets and the skyline softly. There was a gentle knock on their joined door, and seconds later Claire appeared in the doorway. She looked a little better, probably because she slept and had time to refresh a little. He noticed she changed her clothes and her hair was in a ponytail.

“Hey, did I wake you?” her voice was soft and quiet, careful not to startle him.

“No, I woke up a few minutes ago. Is everything okay?” he ran a hand over his face, groaning quietly, his fingers moving to his hair, running through the strands quickly. She hesitated, words almost falling from her lips and stopping at the very last second. It seemed like she bit her tongue, stopped herself before she said something she couldn’t take back.

“Yes, don’t worry. Natalie called, she said they want to go eat dinner. Are you going?”

“Will you be there?” he reflected the question, without thinking how it would sound. She blushed, her head falling forward for a moment, a gentle smile on her lips.

“Yes, I’m going too.” Her laughter made his heart flutter, pulling on the corners of his lips, a sign of happiness he couldn’t fight.

“Give me ten minutes, I’ll get ready.”

He got out of bed as she closed the door behind her. He was on the crossroads. How was he able to restrain himself from having her before he jumped and got her? How did he keep himself away? What was the trick that he was missing now? It wasn’t that hard, he remembered the struggle, but there wasn’t that much longing. As he was getting dressed, he realized what was different. What made staying away from her now that much harder.

He got a taste. He knew how it felt to hold her, kiss her, be with her. All those things that he longed to do before. He did it all. And he remembered it all, vividly and strongly, emotions and feelings. He could see it in his dreams every night. That’s what was different. He got addicted, she was like a drug to him.

He got downstairs, everyone else already there. Luce was standing next to Claire, holding her hand and telling her what seemed to be like an interesting story. She heard his steps, turning her small head towards him, her eyes sparkling.

“Dr. Ramsey!” she exclaimed, walking quickly over to him. Her tiny hands grabbed his, pulling him towards Claire. Blue eyes met green, mutual understanding of humor and amusement in them.

They got seated in the hotel restaurant, Luce between her parents, Ethan and Claire opposite of them, sitting so close their arms brushed against one another as they moved. Neither said a word about it, but the sparks were back. He felt a wave of heat run through his body, her sweet scent of orange blossoms reaching his nose.

The dinner was quiet and peaceful, food delicious, atmosphere relaxing. Luce grabbed both of her parents to take her to the playing space, which left Ethan and Claire alone by the table. She was looking at the little girl, her face pensive, eyes dull.

“What’s on your mind, Rookie?” he mused, looking over her shoulder.

“It’s so unfair. She is so young, what did she ever do to deserve this?”

“She didn’t do anything. It’s just life, unfair and crazy. It’s no one’s fault, it was something that couldn’t be stopped.” He tried lifting her spirit a little, comforting her as best as he could.

“I know. But… she still has her whole life ahead of her! School, friends, riding a bike… she might not get to do all those things, and I just cannot get over it.”

Her shoulders slumped, head fell forward. He reached with his finger, placing it under her chin and turning her head towards him. A single tear fell down her cheek, her lips trembling. He wiped it delicately with his thumb.

“I’m so sorry, Claire. I wish I could do more.” His other hand grabbed hers, squeezing lightly, but before he could say anything else, she stood up from the table rapidly.

“Sorry, I’ll retreat for the night. Say goodnight to Luce from me.” She quite literally ran away from him, not looking back, putting as much distance between them as she could.

He wanted to help her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss her hair and wipe her tears and tell her everything would be alright. But he made a choice for both of them, and he had to live with its consequences now. No matter how much it hurt.


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day in Disneyland is filled with joy during the day... and nightmares by night

Their first real day in Paris started for Ethan with beams of sunlight streaming through his windows. He wished he could say that he had a good night’s sleep, but the truth was, his head was full of Claire and his worry for her. He caught himself more than once wanting, desiring to get inside her head, see the world through her eyes, uncover all her thoughts.

He knocked on her door, waiting a few beats of his heart before opening them slightly. She was standing by the window, dressed in black jeans and a violet, flowy shirt. Her hair was down, falling softly over her shoulders, light catching and reflecting from it. She seemed to not have noticed him knocking or opening the door, her gaze fixed on the city below them.

“Claire?” he called out, catching her attention. She appeared to be so deep in thoughts that his voice startled her, making her jump, exclaiming quietly.

“Oh! Ethan, hi.” She smiled, her eyes wide, sparkles dancing in them.

“Are you ready to head for breakfast?”

“Yeah, um… I’ll be right out, can you wait a second?” he nodded, lingering by the frame.

“Claire? About last night… are you okay? I’ve been worried about you, can you tell me that you are alright?” he was aware of how his words sounded, how his voice wavered on her name, how he cracked towards the end, but he didn’t mind. All he cared about was her wellbeing.

“I’m okay, I’m sorry I made you worried, it was never my intention. It’s just that Luce’s situation… it hit me a little hard, I let it get to me a little too much. Again, I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“You don’t have to be sorry, Claire. I don’t want you to be sorry for feeling. I just wish I could be here for you when you were hurting or struggling. I’m here for you, Claire. Whatever you want, whenever you need.” His eyes were trained on her, sincere and only for her.

“Thank you.” her whisper combined with a bright smile she gave him told him that, despite everything, she still valued him and trusted him.

They met not even five minutes later, all the worry from the evening earlier gone from her eyes. They shared a smile and went to get something to eat.

\-----

Disneyland was bigger than Ethan could have ever imagined. The castle roaming over the park, drawing attention, various Disney characters passing by them. Luce was smiling so wide he was sure her cheeks were hurting, curious eyes, drinking in all the sights. They stood on the side, Claire excusing herself for a moment, promising to be back in a few minutes.

Ethan focused on the little girl next to him, talking to her, but mostly listening to her stories about the people in costumes that were flying past them. To occupy her while they waited for the redhead to return, he questioned her about her favorite characters and stories, her favorite movies. As she spoke, she vividly waved her hands in the air, excitement emanating from her.

Then, in a flash, he heard fast footsteps, and before he could turn around, he felt movement behind him, and suddenly he had weight attached to his back, arms around his neck. Red hair blocked his vision for a short moment and the sweet scent of orange blossoms engulfed him, calming his alarmed nerves. He felt movement on his head, some sort of a headband was placed by her on top of it, trapping his hair underneath.

“There! Luce, what do you think?” she laughed, hugging herself closely to Ethan, her legs wrapped tightly around him. His hands flew to her calves, brushing past them and nesting in the underside of her knees, holding her in place.

“Yes! Our own Mickey Mouse!” little girl laughed, jumping in place in excitement.

“Rookie, what did you do?”

“I _may_ have placed a pair of Mickey Mouse ears on your head. But you look absolutely adorable! So much so, that you absolutely deserve a kiss.” Her words slipped out of her mouth before her mind could filter it. She didn’t give him time to react, pressing a quick but tender kiss to his cheek, laughing softly, nervously.

“Can I get carried too?” Luce’s shy voice broke through their bubble, their eyes flying to her in a second. Claire slid down his body, her hands pressed tightly to his chest, instantly cold from lack of his body heat.

“What do you think, Dr. Ramsey? Will you give our princess a ride?” she bent down to pick Luce up, motioning Ethan to turn around and he complied, bending down a little to allow her to place her onto his back. She weighted as much as a feather, her small arms wrapped tightly around his neck, her head nestled on his shoulder.

“Now, where are we going, boss? It’s your day, you can choose.” He spoke with equal seriousness and humor, winking at Claire, who was standing next to him. She beamed at him, her cheeks taking on a soft shade of pink.

\------

The whole time before lunch was spent on sightseeing, meeting various characters and checking out castles and gardens. They decided to eat something quickly before continuing on with their day, but Luce spotted the playground and insisted on playing there. Natalie, Andrew, who was Luce’s father, Ethan and Claire, all stood by the fence, watching as she ran with other kids. Or, at least, she attempted to do so. She got tired fairly quickly and after a short while she had to take a break. The situation repeated five times, and by the time sixth time rolled around the corner, she sat on the bench, tears filling her brown eyes. Claire ran to her side, as her parents were gone at the moment, kneeling down beside her, offering her arms for comfort. Luce fell into them, tears falling, rolling down her cheeks as she clung to her doctor. Redhead trailed her eyes to Ethan’s, lost, unsure of what they were supposed to do. He kneeled down next to her, placing his hand on Claire’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze, before addressing the little girl.

“_Luce_.” He said her name with and Italian pronunciation and accent, putting his knowledge of that language to good use. That caught her attention, her head emerging from Claire’s shoulder, turning slowly towards him, sniffling her nose softly. He pulled out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket, handing it to her, helping her dry her eyes.

“That’s not my name…”

“It is. I just said that in Italian. Do you know where it is?” she shook her head, confused. “It’s that big shoe on the map of the world.” His words, which he picked specifically to make her laugh, worked like a charm. Her laughter, despite her tears, rang through the air delicately.

“And it has a heel!” Claire chimed in, running her hand over her arm a little, smiling at her.

“Do you want to know what your name means in Italian?” he questioned her and she nodded her head enthusiastically, curious and excited that her name has a meaning in other language.

“Yes, please!”

“It means _light_. Your name means a beam of light. _You_ are a beam of light. Our little sunlight, brightening the day, everywhere you go.”

His words seemed to have worked wonders, because in seconds Luce got over her tears, coming back to her previous state, her eyes gaining back the sparkle, her smile strong. She fell in love with what Ethan told her about her name, it lifted her spirit. She hugged him, then hugged Claire and went slowly back to the playground, taking it easy, but steadily.

“Good job, Mr. Italiano.” She smirked, looking at him sideways, her arms folded over her chest as they watched their patient play.

“Don’t lie, you love that I can speak Italian. You love it _when_ I speak Italian.”

“_Maybe.”_ She bumped her hip against his, keeping that playful expression on her face.

Ethan was relieved. They seemed to be slowly coming back to their old ways, teasing each other, feeling comfortable around one another. She was fully relaxed against him, their arms touching.

Because of that situation, he completely forgot that he had those ridiculous ears on his head, and he wouldn’t have remembered if it wasn’t for Claire, who whipped out her phone and took a couple of photos of him, snapping a few selfies with him, despite his protests.

“If those photos ever get out, Rookie, you’ll suffer consequences. Just a warning.” He said, and those were his last words for the next few minutes, because in the next second she pressed a kiss to his cheek, catching the moment on the camera too. He smiled softly, his brain turning into a mess with that simple action.

“I’ll remember that, Ethan. And I may or may not hold you to it.” winking, she leaned away, turning her attention back to Luce, leaving him to get himself back together after that attack of hers.

Their afternoon went without a hitch, as did their dinner, and so, when the sky was a deep shade of blue, sprinkled with stars, they both said goodnight and separated for the night. He got ready for bed, his mind once again full of Claire, but for an entirely different reason than yesterday. Now, he was even more confused. They were so close, yet so far. Keeping their distance, but crossing the line, time and time again. What was baffling, he didn’t feel guilty, he didn’t feel bad, he had nothing against it. No regrets regarding their behavior. With that, he turned the lights off and went to sleep.

In the middle of the night, after what seemed like only minutes from falling asleep, he was woken up by screams. _Her screams._ His body tensed, throwing back the covers and jumping to his feet, racing to their door, opening them in haste.

She was sitting on bed, her arms around her kneed, tears falling down her cheeks furiously, her breathing elevated. He ran to her bed, sitting by her side and touching her leg softly.

“Claire? What happened? Talk to me, I need to know.” Concern was drowning his voice, uncertainty of her physical and mental state at the moment making his mind and body freeze. She turned towards him, her eyes flashing with surprise and guilt.

“Ethan… I’m sorry, did I wake you? I didn’t mean to do that, I’m fi-“

“You’re not fine. Talk to me, was it a nightmare? Are you hurt?” his eyes ran over her body, his hands following suit, checking for any injuries that, thankfully, weren’t there.

“Yeah, I’m okay. It was a nightmare, but that’s not important. I’m so sorry I woke you.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m relieved you’re okay. Call out if you need anything, I’m here for you, Claire.” He smiled at her softly before moving to stand up, retracing his steps to his room. Before he could close the door, he hears her voice again.

“Ethan!” he turned around, their eyes meeting again. She bit her lip nervously, subconsciously making his mind sober up from his deep slumber.

“Yes?”

“Will you stay with me?” he knew what she meant. She wanted him to sleep next to her, because she was afraid of what she would see once she closes her eyes again. He couldn’t imagine saying no to her, but he wanted much more. He wanted to stay with her, be with her all the time, but he couldn’t tell her that. Not now at least, not when things were so complicated. So, he settled for the closest thing to his desires.

He nodded softly, closing the door behind him and coming back to her bed, walking around it to get under the covers on the other side. She seemed to have hesitated, but only for a second, asking with her eyes a question, a silent plead for consent, before moving closer to him, her head on his shoulder. He wrapped a hesitant arm around her, pulling her to him, kissing her hair before they both closed their eyes. Right before they drifted off to sleep, he murmured into her ear.

“Whatever you want.”


	4. IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Night terrors get their explaination and people get costumes.

Ethan woke up, the light from the windows pulling him from his dreamless sleep. He hasn’t felt that well rested in a long time. In fact, he has had that good night’s sleep only two times in his life before this. And it was all thanks to the woman he currently had in his arms.

Claire had her head resting on his chest, her hair fanned out over her pillow and his skin. She was breathing gently, her lashes casting a shadow onto her cheeks, crossing over her freckles. He ran his hand up her spine from the place it was resting on the small of her back, reaching her hair. His eyes closed, relishing in the feeling of having her by his side again, running his fingers through the red strands, soothing motion making her wake up. She moaned at his gesture, nuzzling her nose into the skin of his chest.

“Good morning.” He murmured slowly, keeping his eyes closed.

“Shhh, don’t.” she whispered, hugging him closer.

“’Don’t’ what?”

“Don’t say that. If you don’t acknowledge it, maybe it won’t come.” She clarified, referring to the morning. His chest shook a little with a quiet laugh as he looked down to see her, only to find her eyes already on his face.

“Another five minutes, then?”

“Please.”

He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her closer to him, hiding his face in her hair. Silence fell over them again, neither saying anything, bathing in the soft light of the morning and each other’s presence. Her fingers were brushing the skin of his side softly, tickling him a little, but the feeling was more pleasing than uncomfortable.

“Claire, can I ask you a question?”

“You already did, just now.” he couldn’t see her, but he felt her cheeks moving upwards as she smiled.

“Cheeky, aren’t you, Rookie? But I’m serious.”

“Ask away then, you seem concerned.”

“What was your nightmare about?” she tensed at his words, her fingers halting halfway up his side. He squeezed her softly. “If you don’t want to talk about that, it’s okay. I just want to help you, whatever it might be.”

She was silent for the next few minutes, and he waited. The only sound in the rooms was the gentle breathing from their lungs. He was about to speak up, change a subject, when she started talking.

“When I was a child, my family took me to my aunt’s beach house. We would spend the whole day by the water, swimming and making sandcastles.”

“I thought you couldn’t swim.” He interrupted her, confused at her words.

“I used to swim a lot, not anymore though. Those days by the water are one of the most vivid memories of my childhood that I have. Me and my cousin were swimming, our parents were resting on the sand. To this day, I have no idea what set off her anger, but one moment I was floating on the surface, and the next I was under water, being pushed further and further down. I tried screaming, but all it did was make me drink and choke on water. I was trying to kick and push her away with my hands and legs, but it didn’t do much. No air in my lungs, eyes closed, and a hand on top of my head.”

She started shaking, tears fell from her eyes, trickling down her cheeks and onto his chest. He hugged her tighter, horrified.

“Who saved you?” his voice was broken, nothing more than a whisper.

“My older brother. He was nearby and he saw commotion in the water. At first he was confused, but then he couldn’t find me, and Laura seemed to have been struggling with something. Once he swam over, he realized what was going on, pushed her away and pulled me out. I was beginning to lose consciousness at that point, so he saved me at the very last minute really.”

“Your brother is a hero. How old were you when that happened?”

“Seven.”

“So you were…”

“The same age as Luce is now, yes. Which is what makes the whole situation even more painful for me. Because I had my brother to save me, and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to save her.”

He leaned forward, pressing a soothing kiss on her forehead, breathing in deeply.

“So last night, when I found you screaming…”

“I dreamt of drowning. I couldn’t breathe, I was panicking, trashing in bed. I woke up just as I was about to lose consciousness, and I could _feel_ her hand on my head.”

“I’m so sorry, Claire. I would have killed her for doing this to you. And you will save Luce. _We_ will save Luce. I’ll be here with you, every step of the way. And I want you to come to me anytime you need me.”

“Thank you, Ethan.”

They spent a few more minutes in bed before deciding to start their day. He squeezed her hand as he left to go to his room, sending her a reassuring smile. They got dressed, ate breakfast, and were about to leave their rooms for another day at Disneyland, when there was a knock on his door. Confused, he went to open them, and found Sara, foundation’s worker, with a rather large hanger in her hand.

“Can I help you? I was about to head downstairs.”

“Everything is fine, don’t worry. Luce had a request though, and we are trying to make it happen. She said she wanted everyone to dress up as Disney characters for one day. She even specified who is supposed to be who. You happen to have landed a role of Prince Eric from ‘The Little Mermaid’. Here is your costume, it would be amazing if you would agree to wear it.”

“Is Claire getting a costume too?”

“Yes, she already has hers in her room, putting it on as we speak. I’ll see you downstairs in a bit.” With that, she turned and left.

Ethan walked back inside, putting the costume on. He wasn’t so ecstatic about it, but he would do anything to make the little girl smile. And besides, he couldn’t wait to see Claire in her costume, which was an added bonus.

Ten minutes later he was in the lobby, accompanied by Luce in her princess Aurora dress, her parents, both dressed up, as well as Sara in her costume. They were all waiting for Claire, who has yet to make an appearance. Luce refused to tell him whose costume Claire got, so he was in the dark. He opted for looking out the window, watching the cars go by. Behind his back, Luce let out an excited scream, calling out Claire’s name and pointing towards her. He turned around, only to have the air kicked out from his lungs. He felt lightheaded.

She had a turquoise dress, all the way down to the ground, with a few layers, sparkling in the light. Her shoulders were bare, the material falling from them softly, her hair down and curled delicately. She was looking at him, he was looking at her. They stepped towards each other, slowly coming closer, until they stood only centimeters apart.

“You look stunning, Princess. Straight out of a fairytale.” He took her hand, bowing down to her and kissing her palm tenderly.

“And aren’t you a Prince Charming yourself.” She laughed and he joined her.

“Actually, Luce made you match. You are Princess Ariel and Prince Eric. Which means you two are married.” Natalie smirked, looking at them both with a knowing look in her eyes.

They blushed, looking at one another for a moment. His hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer to him. She placed one hand on his shoulder, another flat on his chest, smiling as their eyes met. In that exact moment they heard the sound of a photo being taken. Turning their heads to the side, they saw Natalie, with her phone up and directed at them.

“What? It was too good of a moment to pass out on. You’ll thank me later.” She winked, and with that, they all went outside for another day in Paris.


	5. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Costumes make people act more open about their desires and thoughts.

Their ride to the Disneyland was uneventful. Or so it seemed to an outsider. Because on the inside, Ethan’s heart was racing. Her body next to his, her warmth, her smell, the feeling of her hand in his, the way their fingers tangled. They didn’t speak a word since they got into the car, their eyes did all the talking.

Natalie warned them that she would be taking a lot of pictures. She also said that she will send them these. Ethan was baffled by the behavior of that woman, but he decided not to question it or think too much about it. Instead, he focused on the only woman on his mind. He wanted to make her feel special, even more than before. She was so open with him that morning, leaned onto him to help her with the burden she’s been carrying on her own for so long, and he was honored that she chose him. He never wanted to lose her trust. He didn’t want to lose _her_. His mind was running, thinking of how he could make her nights easier on her, ultimately deciding to try and make the day as pleasant for her as he could. He smiled to himself, a plan already forming inside of his head.

Their car came to a stop by the gate of their destination and they proceeded to get out. Ethan went ahead, keeping the door open for her. Once they were out, he offered her his arm, an enigmatic smile on his face.

“Do me an honor?” he asked, his arm extended towards her. She raised her eyebrow at him, the corners of her lips going up despite her best effort.

“Oh, is that so, Prince Ramsey?”

“Humor me.”

Their eyes met and locked, a silent conversation. She saw his determination to make her feel safe, to make her smile, and he saw her trust in him, her trust towards him. Her hand laced around his arm, her fingers squeezing him tightly for a moment.

“You don’t have to explain yourself, Ethan.” She leaned up to kiss his cheek softly.

Turns out, Natalie really was on a mission. The next second a sound of a camera going off could be heard, another picture of a moment between them taken and made immortal. Ethan was about to say something, when Claire leaned her head onto his shoulder, her eyes closed, a soft smile resting on her lips. He knew what she was doing and decided to play along. His head turned further towards her, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, smiling to himself. He didn’t have to pretend, he was already so deeply in with her, it came naturally.

Luce was delighted when she saw her doctors so close together, costumes being an amazing improvement that she didn’t know they needed. For the whole day, on every ride or during meeting any of the characters, Ethan would keep Claire close to him, either on his arm or with his arm around her waist, never too far away.

At one point, their little patient demanded ice cream. What princess wants, princess gets. They slowly made their way to the part of the park where they had an ice cream booth. Each of them got one flavor and after that they found a table with benches to sit down on. Ethan helped Claire with her dress before sitting down himself. Once they started eating, silence fell over their group, each of them focused on their own sweet treat.

Claire noticed that Ethan kept on looking in her direction. When she turned towards him, it became clear that he was eyeing her ice cream.

“Do you want to try it?” she gestured with her head towards the cone in her hand. He confirmed it, leaning closer to give it a taste.

At the same time Claire, partially because she wanted to help him and partially because she wanted to make Luce laugh, raised her ice cream further up. Two motions combined gave a result she was going for, and seconds later Ethan had ice cream smeared over his chin, mouth and nose. His eyes widened, Luce laughed out loud, and Claire bit her lip to keep herself from bursting.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” she leaned forward, kissing his chin and nose softly, licking the remains of her sweet treat off his face. He felt his mind freeze, going blank. If he had something to say or do, he forgot about it. With just one move, she managed to wrap him even more around her finger.

“You’re lucky you look so beautiful today, Rookie, or I _would_ retaliate.” He said when he finally got over the shock, licking his lips to clean his face. He looked over to Claire. Her cheeks were bright red, pupils wide, smiling beautifully.

As day went on, they seemed to get more and more comfortable with each other. He kept on stealing glances at her, convinced that he was subtle about it. How wrong he was. Claire knew, she noticed his eyes on her, she _felt_ his eyes on her. And when she didn’t, Natalie was on duty, along with her camera, capturing it all.

They took a stroll down the main path, passing the buildings and people, watching as Luce jumped around, dancing and admiring the princesses around them. Claire had her hand on Ethan’s arm, resting securely. The light was reflecting in her hair, sparkling in her eyes as their gazes met. He looked away, embarrassed that she caught him staring, when he felt her finger brush against the corner of his lips lightly. His eyes grew wide, shocked by her actions. She laughed, taking in his surprised face.

“You had some ice cream left in there. See?” she extended her finger towards him before licking it clean, grinning at him. “Now it’s clean.” Turning towards the rest of their company, she spoke. “So, where shall we go next? I think…”

The rest of her words became a blur to him, as she ran her fingers through her hair, trailing them softly down the strands, attempting to tame them. Her movements made his mind go blank, which stunned him, for they were such simple things that made him weak in the knees for her. Before he could understand how she did those things to him, their companions turned towards the left path, leaving him alone. Claire turned around, a few steps away from him, raising her eyebrow at him.

“Are you coming, Prince Charming? Or am I going to have to walk alone?”

He walked over to her, offering her his arm with a smile.

“Now, we can’t have that, my Princess.”

She placed her hand on him, the corners of her lips going upwards as she placed her head on his shoulder with a content sigh.

\--- --- --- ---

Evening came, so did their time to go back to the hotel and eat dinner. The restaurant was a little fuller than they were used to, but they did have a table reserved for them, so it didn’t make that much of a difference. They all got seated before Ethan and Claire did, all in their typical seats. He moved her chair for her, helping her one more time, a smile never leaving his lips. He didn’t mind, why would he oppose to being so close to her? He bowed down to her, laughing warmly, before sitting down beside her. They were getting looks from other people, but none of them paid any attention to it.

Ethan, keeping his word, given if not to her, then to himself, escorted her to her door on his arm. The two talked quietly on their way there, about nothing in particular, both just really content and relaxed in each other’s company. When they got to her door, he bowed to her again, kissing her palm tenderly once more. She said nothing, only smiled at him enigmatically, before going through her door. Had a slight idea what that meant, but he was yet to find out if his thoughts were correct and he wasn’t imagining things.

He showered and put on his nightclothes before taking a deep breath and knocking on their joined door. He opened them slowly, giving her a chance to react, just in case she didn’t want him there, and he was reading too much into the situation. But no protest came. Instead, once he was inside and the door were closed, she looked at him, her eyes big, unsure of what he was about to do. He rested next to her, offering her his arms. She fell into them, her head over his heart, her hands on his sides, hugging herself to him. He kissed her forehead, nuzzling his nose into her hair.

“Goodnight, Princess.”

“Goodnight, Prince Charming.”


	6. VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day off gives them an opportunity to explore the city... and their feelings.

The next day seemed different. The air was lighter, the sun shone brighter, every move felt easier. The smiles they shared were more genuine, almost as if the world wanted to tell them that something would happen that day.

They didn’t really have that much time to themselves in the morning. Luce had to be escorted to the hospital for her dialysis and she would stay there for the whole day, recovering, being monitored by the doctors to make sure nothing was out of place before she would be let out.

“We’re going to find some place to go over her files, think of some ways we can help her more…” Ethan began speaking, looking at Claire, who nodded in agreement.

“Oh no. We’ll stay here with her. You two go, you have a day off.” Natalie interrupted him, raising her hand to stop him.

“But-“

“There are doctors here, and we have your phone numbers if anything would happen. But it won’t. And you two deserve a break. Go, have fun, don’t get lost and come back in the afternoon.”

That is how they ended up outside of the hospital, in their street clothes, and with a whole day to spare. Their eyes locked, both slightly confused and lost, not sure what they were supposed to do with that newly obtained free time. Something that happened so rarely that it was a sin to waste.

“Do you have anything that you want to do today?” he asked, looking around them to make sure they were not standing in the way of anyone.

“Not exactly. I never thought I would even _be _in Paris, so I never really had a list of things I wanted to see here. I am open to your suggestions if you have anything.” She shrugged, waiting for him to respond.

“I actually have something in mind.” he trailed off, extending his hand for her to take. She laced their fingers together tightly, and with that they walked towards the taxi that just pulled up to the front of the hospital.

\---- ---- ----

They were standing under an enormous gate to the gardens. The green leaves of the trees were casting soft shadows onto the path they were about to walk on, the colorful flowers lining the sides, separating the rocky road from the grass.

“How did you find this place?” she asked, mesmerized by the quiet atmosphere and the tranquility that surrounded them.

“Do you like it?”

“I adore places like those, Ethan. They are so… different than what I am used to.”

They entered the park, hands intertwined, his thumb tracing soft circles on her palm. She breathed in deeply, taking in the sweet scent of the multiple flowers they were passing by. They were one of the only people there, most likely because of the time of the day.

“How different?”

“It’s just that… where I’m from, I didn’t really get much time to myself. I have my brother, and besides him there is also my younger sister and my other brother that is older. We were living near my aunt’s house, so her kids would come over often. That all meant I didn’t really get much quiet. I didn’t really mind, but as you can probably guess, I like my quiet as much as I like company of people. I need balance or I go crazy. That is why I felt some sort of relief when I went away for med school. And that made me feel guilty. I mean, why would anyone be so desperate to leave their home?”

“I know something about it, you don’t have to explain yourself to me, Rookie.” He smiled at her sympathetically, even though he really didn’t want her to stop talking.

“My family really is amazing, and I didn’t have any reason to leave or want to leave. The move came with med school, and I wasn’t opposed to it, because I knew that I would get some quiet. And now… I think that while I am living with a pretty noisy bunch, we all understand each other, we respect each other’s spaces, and we all know the need to just tune everything out, so we all have one night every week, where we just sit in silence. The most relaxing thing I got to experience lately.” She smiled at the memories, allowing Ethan a moment to just look at her in wonder.

She seemed so different from him, and yet with every day that he knew her, she turned out to be more and more like him at core. And with every moment spent with her, he could see himself with her more and more. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that just yet. 

They entered the clearing, the sun shining through the branches, the sky coming into the view more the further they walked. Deep in the conversation, she didn’t notice the water they were approaching, or the branch that was sticking out of the ground right in front of her. She tripped and would have fallen into the water if it wasn’t for Ethan, his reflexes and his strong arms, wrapped firmly around her, tugging her to him, keeping her safe and away from the water.

“Thank you, you always seem to save me.” She smiled, absolutely distracted with their close proximity. Her heart beats fast and loud, and she is pretty sure that he can hear it as well as feel it. She can feel her cheeks becoming redder with every second that passes, and if he notices anything, he doesn’t let it show.

Claire has always felt the spike of uncertainty whenever she was with Ethan. He made her nervous, both in a good and bad way. No other person in her entire life could make her feel such a wide array of emotions in such a short period of time. At first, when they were beginning to get to know each other, she felt a rush of excitement when she was near him, her dreams of working with him coming true. Then came the confusion, as they got closer and closer. He was so closed off, that she had no way of knowing what was going on in that head of his.

And then came Miami, and he seemed to have finally opened up to her. Finally let her in, and to her surprise, he was feeling the same. Her heart would stop for a beat when he looked at her, her breathing would get quicker, she would get nervous and calm down at the same time. He seemed to react to her in a very same way, the way he was holding her that night, how he kissed her until they were both breathless, like it was worth going to hell for.

But, as all good things, this too had to end too soon. And it did.

Since then, they were… in a difficult position. They had a few moments of weakness, when they would stand too close to one another, where one of them forgot that they were not supposed to be feeling this way and their voice would slip, taking on a gentle tone. And then came Luce, and they were close again. It seemed almost inevitable, like the world wanted them to end up right where they finished last time, because the trip to Paris was heading in a dangerous direction. She wasn’t sure how to feel about it. She wasn’t sure how he felt about it, how he felt about them. And that scared her.

“Look at this.” he said slowly, keeping his voice low and quiet, almost like he was distracted. Just as distracted as she was. He turned her around, his hands sliding up and down her arms.

Before them stretched the big blue pond. The water was clear, sparkling in the sun, white flowers floating on the surface. In the very middle was a small island and a small temple on it. Built out of white marble, it shone in the light brightly. There was a wooden boat by their feet, and from the looks of it, tourists were welcome to use it to get to the island.

“Can we go there?” she asked, mesmerized yet again by the beauty of the place they were in. He pulled her with him towards the edge of the water, helping her into he boat slowly, getting in after her.

“Are you ready?” he asked, making sure she was comfortable, given her history with water, and when she nodded, he started rowing towards their destination.

She was looking at their surroundings, taking in every part of it. Ethan found it fascinating how she paid attention to even the smallest elements. Come to think of it, it was what made her a great doctor. The fact that she could apply those abilities to both her professional and personal life made her even more interesting to him, more attractive.

Claire paid attention to what was going on around her only partially. That was because most of her focus was on not freaking out. It has been some time since she went anywhere near that big amount of water, and if she was with anyone else, she would probably turn around and run away. And yet, she was here, with Ethan, in a goddamn boat, and the thought of it scared her only a little.

He managed to do something that no one else ever has. He calmed her down when her nightmare haunted her. The memory was still fresh and vivid in her mind, despite the long time passing from that horrific day. It was almost as if her brain refused to let it go, like it was hanging onto it, needing it to survive. Ethan was the first person to be able to calm her down, to let her sleep through the whole night without waking up with a scream on her lips and tears on her cheeks.

Those nightmares didn’t visit her every night. They had patterns, once they came, they tended to stay for a week, sometimes more. They also appeared when she was stressed.

She never found out why Laura did it to her. She was never allowed anywhere near Claire again. Her parents kept her away, sent her off to some boarding school, far away from home. She was gone, and yet it was as if she never left. Always there, in the back of her head, in her dreams.

Ethan reached his hand to lace their fingers together as they got to the shore, pulling her from her thoughts. She smiled up at him, letting him pull her towards the temple, her eyes wide as she looked around.

The columns were wrapped with green plants, purple flowers growing out of them. The light was shining through the holes in the ceiling, done so intricately and with care, making a pattern of lights and shadows on the floor, right where they were standing. The wind was blowing, moving her hair slightly, sending a wave of sweet scent of orange blossoms towards Ethan, filling his senses.

He always found her beautiful. Intriguing. Intelligent. Brave. And now, looking at her in the soft light of the early afternoon, he found her utterly irresistible. He has been fighting with himself for so long, the urge to get closer to her more and more pressing as each day went by. He was done waiting for a right moment.

Claire could feel his eyes on her. She always did. There was something between them, something that allowed her to feel his presence, something that allowed him to calm her with just one look into his eyes. She found him handsome, as many people did, and that was no surprise. One would have to be blind to deny that he had more good looks than he knows what to do with. And while it certainly had its part in why she was attracted to him, it wasn’t even half of why she found him irresistible. His drive, his intelligence, his compassion and how he took care of his patients. How caring he was when they were alone, even though he would never admit it or say it out loud. She felt the pull towards him from day one, and with each day that passed, she found it harder and harder to stay away. She was done with fighting.

Their eyes locked. The outside world was blocked out, and it was only them. The way light reflected from their hair. The sparkles in their eyes. The anticipation that made their breaths heavier. The fast paces of their hearts. They stepped towards one another, looking straight into each other’s souls, no secrets left. Everything out in the open. The moment swallowed them whole, they leaned in simultaneously and it happened.

Their lips touched.

Softly. Delicately. With tenderness, like they were afraid if they pressed to hard, the other would break into a million pieces and fly away with the wind, never to be put back together again. Eyes closed; breaths shallow. Their hands flew to each other’s cheeks, pulling closer but with the same gentleness, careful not to push too much. And after a while, they leaned back, green and blue locking once again, soft smiles on their lips.

They left the island without even one word spoken, the magical feeling lingering for many hours after that. 


	7. VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a heat of the moment, words flow freely, revealing more than they both bargained for.

Their hands were intertwined as they slowly made their way back to the gate. The lightness that filled them was still there, and they were still to say something after that kiss. Maybe it was the calm that filled them, like everything was finally falling into place, or maybe it was the fear that was whispering in the back of their heads, telling them to be careful, because the line between happiness and pain was so thin and so easy to cross.

Either way, Claire felt like she was walking on air. Their time alone was slowly coming to an end, and they had to make their way back to the hotel to meet the rest of their companions, but they still had time. A little more time to be just him and her, together, even if only to hold hands and say nothing. It was more than she thought she could have when she woke up that morning.

Ethan felt like a weight was taken off his shoulders. He has been carrying his emotions with him, his barriers and his walls with him for so long that he forgot what it was like to not have them in the first place. And it was all because of her. She was the reason those things haunted him, and she was the cure that he needed to get rid of them. His skin tingled where their hands touched, sparks running up his arm, spreading warmth throughout his whole body.

Just as they were about to leave, they heard a voice of a man, calling for them.

“Excuse me!” he ran up to them, a camera in his hand, passing them two photos. “I was nearby, and I couldn’t help myself. I hope you don’t mind that.”

Claire took both photos into her hands, Ethan moving to stand behind her, looking over her shoulder. It was a photo of the two of them, kissing on the island. Two copies of it, one for each of them. Claire felt her heart squeezing, reliving the moment in her head again. Ethan put his hand on her arm, running it up and down her skin.

“Thank you so much for your kind gesture. Here, let me repay you…” he reached for his wallet, but the mysterious man shook his head, raising his hand to stop him from doing so.

“Oh no, please. It was my pleasure, really, seeing a couple so in love and happy. Consider it a gift.”

“Well, in that case, thank you so much for your kindness, have a good day, sir.” Claire responded, shaking his hand slightly as they made their way outside the garden.

While waiting for the taxi to take them back to the hotel, silence fell upon them once more. He was embracing her softly, his head on top of hers, a gentle smile on his lips, kissing her hair from time to time. Then, suddenly, she leaned away, looking up at him, and then her lips were on his and they were kissing again.

This time, it was different. Slow, almost lazy, like they had all the time in the world, no worries to haunt them. He embraced her tightly, pulling her closer to him, deepening the kiss slightly. Before they could get lost in it, the sound of their car pulling up burst the bubble they were in, and it was all over.

They were sitting very close to one another in the back of the cab, Parisian streets passing them by, a blur, almost undetectable, and definitely unnoticed by the pair. They were focused on one another, on their fingers that were locked together, on their legs touching in the small space, on the heat radiating from their bodies. She leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes, relishing in how close they were, how much has changed in one afternoon. He placed his head on top of hers, eyes falling shut too, a moment of peace and quiet before they had to go back to work.

Luce and her parents were not in the hotel yet when they arrived, so they decided to pass their time until dinner by taking a walk around their neighborhood. He offered her his arm and they left their hotel behind once more.

The park situated two streets away was in its most beautiful state, both with the season and time of the day. They continued strolling for a couple of minutes, before finding a bench to sit on, taking in their surroundings.

“Thank you.” she whispered softly, not looking at him, focusing her eyes on the roses in front of them.

“For what?”

“For being my quiet.”

“Anytime, Claire. Today was… something else.” he breathed, fixing his gaze on her, waiting for their eyes to meet.

“I’d say today was magical in a way. And definitely not what I expected when I woke up.”

“In a good way?” there was a tone of uncertainty in his voice, and he really wished that, just this once, he could read her mind. She finally turned her head towards him, and he was met with a happy smile, sparkles in her eyes.

“In a very good way, Ethan.”

They leaned in and they met in a short kiss, merely a touch of lips, before her phone began ringing and they had to head back to the hotel. He kept his arm around her waist the whole time, the two of them conversing quietly, admiring the streets they were walking on.

Their company was already seated by their table by the time they arrived back and joined them in the restaurant. Ethan helped Claire sit down, his hand lingering on her back as he sat down in his own seat, much closer to her than normally.

Naturally, Natalie picked up on it immediately, sensing a shift in their dynamic. It was probably due to the fact that she kept a close eye on them, knowing perfectly well that the two had feeling that they didn’t know how to act upon. She smirked at the pair, a sense of calm settling over her, almost as though she wanted to say ‘mission accomplished’.

And of course, she wouldn’t be herself if she didn’t comment on it.

“You two look… smitten together. How was your day?” her voice had a playful edge, her eyebrow up in a question.

Claire blushed, Ethan looked away, and that by itself told her everything she needed to know.

“No need to be embarrassed, we already know you two cannot stay away from each other. I’m happy for you, you two are great together. So, Dr. Herondale, what did you do with your Doctor today?” she kept her voice a little lower, simply to avoid any misunderstandings with Luce.

“We visited a garden and went onto a small island in the middle of the lake. It was really… mesmerizing.”

“And I bet it was romantic. Wasn’t it, Dr. Ramsey?” she aimed her attention towards the man that did his best to avoid looking at his patient’s mother.

“…Yes. Definitely.”

Claire looked at him with wide eyes. Never would she have thought that he would admit to doing something romantic, let alone to be so definite in his answer. He stole a look at her, his lips twisting in a smirk at her surprised face. She wasn’t really surprised that he was smug about it, she herself was feeling like she was walking on air since the first kiss they shared in such a long time.

There was a growing list of reasons she was thankful that Naveen sent them both to Paris. The way they managed to get closer to each other again. She had a habit of bottling her fears up, especially her tragic childhood story, but she was beyond happy and relieved that Ethan now knew about it. It almost made dealing with the whole situation and nightmares easier. 

They retired for the night, their hands locked as they walked towards their rooms. Despite the fact that they would see each other in a few minutes, he pulled her to him, pressing a kiss to her lips, the sparks flowing through their bodies, the intensity slowly rising.

“Ethan- I’ll see you in a – few minutes-“ she tried speaking, laughing as he interrupted her, time and time again, with kisses. She wasn’t sure what has gotten into him, he seemed so over the moon, one could say he was giddy with happiness.

“I know. And those few minutes will be too long.” he kissed her one last time before parting with her, only to be reunited in a short while.

They got ready for bed, excitement flowing through their veins. He opened the door slowly, still hesitant every time he had to do it, even though she told him, time and time again that he didn’t have to be.

She was already in bed when he moved to embrace her from behind, breathing in her scent, nuzzling his nose into her neck. His lips nipped the skin of her neck and she let out a quiet sound of approval, turning in his arms so she was facing him. Their eyes locked and she took his face into her hands, pulling him in for a real kiss.

The sparks that were there when they were parting before their door burst into flames, hot and intense. Hands were exploring each other’s bodies, lips touching with bruising force, pulling and biting. Claire threw her leg over his hips, moving to straddle him, without breaking the kiss and without putting much thought into it. Her body reacted to his, to _him_ and she let her instincts guide her.

She kissed her way down his neck, biting into the skin on his shoulder softly, sucking on it. He groaned, his grip on her hips tightening as he shifted on bed, trying desperately to release some tension.

“God, I wish I could be with you every day…” he murmured without thinking, his mouth speaking his true feelings.

She halted her every movement, freezing as the meaning of his words reached her. Her eyes went wide as she looked at him, disbelief written all over her face.

“Ethan…?” she whispered, barely audible, her voice cracking a little. She was met with silence, followed by the movement of his hands, up and down her sides. He opened his mouth to say something, closing it, then opening again, unable to gather his thoughts for a while.

“Claire- I, uh…” he started stuttering, his mind wiped clean of any coherent ways to express what he felt. He took a deep breath, starting over. “We always knew that it was going to be hard, and you surely understand that in our current situation… ugh, no matter what I say, it’s never going to be good enough. You know how I feel and-“

“No. That’s the thing. I _don’t_ know how you feel. Because you never let me in. You built those walls, and just as I thought I was getting through them, you pushed me away. Again. I don’t know what you wanted to achieve, but until you make up your mind and come clean about what you want and own up to it, I am _not_ going to sleep with you. I refuse to let you do that to me. Or you. Or _us._”

With that she moved off of him, turning on her side, her back to him as a lone tear rolled down her face. He still didn’t see them together, despite everything that had happened.

He hesitated, wondering if he should say something, do something, but the way she ignored him advised him against it. The situation was too fresh, the emotions were too raw, and there was not another word said for the rest of the night.


	8. VIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The damage has been done, and it's up to both of them to pick up the pieces.

Claire woke up with a massive headache and a feeling of unease that she couldn’t quite place. Her mind was foggy, she had trouble focusing on anything for a long period of time. It took her a solid minute to remember what had happened and why she was feeling that way.

She could hear him breathing deeply right behind her, feel his presence while he slept on the other side of her bed, not touching her in any way. Her body tensed at the mere thought of having to talk to him, their last conversation left her in a state of shock and, if she had to honest, she was hurt.

As quietly as she could, she got out of bed, grabbing her clothes and went to the bathroom to get ready. When she was leaving the room to get some breakfast, he was still asleep. It was better that way, she wouldn’t have to speak to him alone, and she knew he wouldn’t dare to pick up the subject with others around.

By the time Ethan woke up, the sun was shining brightly, indicating that it must have been at least nine in the morning. And he was alone. In her bed. Her side was cold to touch, so she must have left much earlier, and he didn’t have to guess why.

She wanted to avoid him.

And she did. She was nowhere to be found in the room, so he figured she must have already gone to the restaurant to eat breakfast. He got out of bed, leaving her room to get ready. He looked back, feeling the weight of their last conversation on his shoulders. He didn’t want it to go like that. He planned on having that conversation with her later on, but it seemed as though his normally collected mind just lost any sense of sanity. It just came out before he could think twice about it, and now he was left with the debris of what used to be his relationship with Claire, and he wasn’t sure if he would be able to put it back together. He would try, that much was clear, but it was all in her hands.

He found her sitting among their companions, face covered by a cup of tea, listening to what Luce was saying. Their little patient noticed him and smiled widely, exclaiming loudly.

“Dr. Ramsey! Come here, sit with us! There is a spot by Dr. Herondale!” she pointed towards the only chair available, on the right side of Claire. He could see her body tensing visibly, her eyes everywhere but not meeting his. He took a seat, and she immediately moved away, pushing her chair closer to Luce, pretending to do it so she could hear better, but he knew otherwise.

As everyone was getting ready to go to Disneyland again, Natalie pulled Claire to the side. If anyone would notice something being off between the two doctors, it would be her. She could see the tension, how she was avoiding him, how she refused to look in his general direction, let alone talk to him, and it worried her.

“Dr. Herondale… is everything alright?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” she answered dismissively, praying that the other woman would just drop the subject.

“It’s just that… yesterday you seemed so happy and today… it’s like a 180 degrees turn. Did something happen between you two? Should I be worried?” she didn’t need to specify who she was talking about, they both knew that much.

“If you mean you’re worried about our work, then let me put you at ease. It doesn’t change anything. As for the other aspect… don’t worry about it. I’m fine.” Claire put her hand on Natalie’s arm, flashing her a barely visible, weak smile, before walking to the car, tucking herself into the corner, turning towards the window to block any conversation out.

Her stomach was squeezed so tightly she was worried she might throw up at one point of the day. She could feel his eyes on her, burning into her with the intensity of a desperate man, and she knew that he wanted to talk, but she didn’t see the point of it. What could he possibly have to say that he thought would make the situation better? He didn’t feel the same as her, she felt hurt and somewhat betrayed. For once, she thought that maybe they had a chance after all. Turns out, fate didn’t want her to be happy.

Ethan’s mind was in perpetual tempest since the previous night. He felt like a fool, an idiot who couldn’t get the words right. He struggled with it terribly, he saw what he did to her, how she separated herself from him. The longing he felt was killing him, his whole body hurt from the need to hold her, even if only her hand. He needed to talk to her, but, in truth, he had no idea what he would tell her.

Disneyland was as happy and as colorful as ever, unbothered by the struggles they were facing. Neither was Luce, who may have been a little girl, but she wasn’t blind. And when one day her doctors are laughing together, hugging and joking, and the next they are not talking to each other, she noticed. Didn’t understand what was wrong but felt that something was out of place. She ran to Ethan and grabbed his hand, halting him, making him look at her.

“Dr. Ramsey, can I have a question?” he nodded, kneeling down so they were on the same eye level. Claire was nearby, listening in case she was needed.

“Of course, _Luce,_ what is it?”

“Why are you and Dr. Herondale so sad today?” she looked between the two, eyes full of confusion.

Ethan’s eyes widened in shock and he turned towards Claire, not sure how to handle it. She visibly tensed, closing her eyes for a moment, before kneeling down next to them both. For the first time that day, their eyes met, and the pain was there for them both, almost like they were looking in the mirror.

“Luce… sometimes adult have some issues… but we’re fine, I promise you, everything is okay. Just a… misunderstanding. Dr. Ramsey, can I talk to you?” Claire stood up and walked away from them, not looking to see if he was following her. She knew he was.

Her arms were folded over her chest and Ethan tried to read her face, looking for any indication of what she was thinking, but it was like looking at a blank page. He took a deep breath, preparing himself to speak, but she beat him to it.

“Our private problems cannot overshadow our work, I think we both agree on that. So, I propose a truce. We don’t have time to talk right now, and frankly, I don’t feel like talking, but I’m ready to put this aside for Luce’s sake.” Her voice was bleak and empty, stripped off emotions, like she was talking about human anatomy, straight facts. He felt his heart fall, hearing her talk to him like he was a stranger. All he could do was nod, not trusting his voice enough to speak. She put on a fake smile on her face and laced their fingers together, pulling him back to Luce, winking at her playfully, making her laugh. And all Ethan felt was emptiness.

It was voted to go for the fastest ride in the whole park, and while Ethan didn’t really mind, Claire’s hold on his hand tightened. He looked over to her and saw all the signs that told him she was terrified. Her pupils were blown wide, she was breathing heavily, and her hands were shaking. He leaned towards her, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, making her focus on him.

“Hey, are you okay?” he whispered to avoid attracting attention to them. She shook her head softly, looking away.

“Yeah, I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?”

“Claire, you are crushing my hand as we speak. Talk to me, what is it?” he put his finger underneath her chin, making her look at him again. Their eyes met and he could see for himself how scared she was. There was also the hurt they both felt, right there for him to see.

“I’m not exactly excited for the roller coaster ride. Not sure if I can handle it.” she murmured under her breath, their gazes still locked.

“I’m here, I won’t let anything bad happen to you, I promise.” He said and she nodded. Only then did they both realize how close their faces were and how little it would take for their lips to touch. Claire leaned back, pain flashing over her face.

They sat down in their seats. Claire kept her eyes on her legs, but she could feel his gaze on her. She caught him on that on more than one occasion that day, looking at her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

The ride started, and at first it was fine. That feeling lasted for only a few seconds, because suddenly there was no air in her lungs. Tears welled up in her eyes, her vision got blurry and her whole body started shaking. Ethan looked over, expecting to see her a little stressed, but what he saw made his heart stop. She was beginning to have a panic attack, he knew that well.

His arms wrapped tightly around her and pulled her to his side. She buried her face into his chest, sobs wrecking her body as he held her, kissing her hair and whispering soft things into her ear, trying everything he could think of to calm her down. Her hands grabbed his shirt, holding on to him for support.

After they stopped, she leaned back, looking at him with her eyes, filled with tears. At first he thought that they were caused by the ride, but after a while he realized that she was crying because of their situation. And he had no idea what to do.

Claire was fighting her pent-up emotions for the whole day, but once her panic had passed, and she was already crying, she couldn’t find it in herself to stop the tears. She tried, really tried to not let it show, especially not in front of him, but her efforts were in vain. Her dam broke, spilling over, revealing the intensity of her emotions, and there was nothing she could do about it.

They were both lost in their heads, both knew what they wanted, but were confused by one another, not sure what the other was thinking. Ethan was confused and scared by the intensity of his feelings for her, and Claire was scared of being hurt again, she let her guard down, trusted him to not break her, and he did. She looked at him, only to find his eyes already on her, and what she saw in them send a spike right through her chest, because she knew he could see the same things in hers. Bare longing and pain.

\---- ---- ----

Dinner went in an unusually quiet atmosphere. No one was talking, no one was even looking at others, heads hanging low, focused on their food. Nothing had to be said for them to know why that was the case. Or rather, _who_ was the cause of that situation. She refused to look at him unless it was absolutely necessary, and he refused to bring up their private life when others were present.

Their walk back to their rooms was quiet, and when they reached their destination, she said a quick goodnight as went towards her door, when his hand shot out and grabbed hers. She turned around, looking at him in confusion. His thumb traced soft circles on her skin, bringing her closer to him.

“If you don’t want me to come sleep with you tonight, just lock the door. I’ll understand.” He said, his fingers tracing the line of her cheekbone, lingering for a few seconds before retreating and turning around, leaving her alone in the hallway. She looked at the place he was standing in just seconds ago, not sure how to feel. All the pain and confusion she felt was overtaken by anger.

She went inside her room, straight towards her door that led to his room. Her fingers lingered over the lock for only a moment, before she turned the key, shutting him out effectively. She needed time to think, and there was no way she could do it if he was by her side. She showered, turned the lights off and went to sleep.

Unknown to her, only a few minutes later, his hand rested on the knob of her door, and met with resistance, he let his head fall onto the wooden panel softly. He realized how much he screwed up and went to sleep with that thought.

His sleep was restless, haunted by the memories of his last real conversation with her, and in the back of his head he could hear her screams, like on the night he found her after her nightmare woke her up. Next thing he knew, there was a hand on his shoulder, shaking him until he woke up. His vision was blurry and he didn’t understand what was happening for the better part of the first few seconds. That is, until he regained his ability to see, and he realized that the blur of colors right before his eyes was Claire, her hair framing her face, falling around it like a curtain.

“Claire? What’s wrong, are you okay?” his voice was deep, laced with sleep, and as soon as words left his mouth, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face into his neck. He was confused, but his muscles didn’t need his brain to tell them what to do, he hugged her to him tightly, breathing in her scent, deciding not to question her motives.

“Oh my god, you’re okay.” She sobbed, holding onto him, shaking in fear.

“Claire, what happened? Did you have a nightmare?” she nodded, refusing to let him go. “Same as always?” she shook her head, still not saying anything. He knew she wouldn’t talk unless she wanted to, so he decided to wait, stroking her hair in the meantime. After a while she spoke quietly, still wrapped tightly around him.

“It started as always. Laura approached me, talked for a little while, and proposed a competition. Who could hold their breath for a longer period of time. I went underwater, and I lasted a full ten seconds. Normally, by that point, she was trying to drown me. Only this time, it was different. I resurfaced, and for some reason, she wasn’t there. Instead, she was drowning someone else. I- I couldn’t move, it was like I was glued to the ground and there was nothing I could do to stop her. And then my brother threw himself at her, stopping her in her tracks, and he got the body out of the water and onto the shore. I followed him, not knowing wh- who it w- was and when I loo- looked, I-“ she stopped, sobbing violently, her tears falling down the skin of his chest. He held her tighter, waiting for her to be ready to speak again. “It was _you._ She tried to drown you, Ethan, and I couldn’t stop her. I watched as she killed you and there was nothing I could do.”

They held onto one another, desperate for any form of contact. His hand wrapped into her hair, arm around her as he soothed her, tried to calm her down enough to talk to her.

“Is that why you came here?” he whispered, still not seeing her face, but he could feel her nodding. A sliver of warmth spread in his chest as he realized what that meant.

“I had to make sure you were alright. In that moment I realized that I was okay with dying, if that meant you were alright.” She leaned back, and for the first time since she came to his room, they looked at one another. Her eyes were sparkling with tears and something he couldn’t quite place. He hugged her to him again, and she nuzzled into his neck, taking a deep breath as her panic passed.

“I’m here, Claire. And I’m not going anywhere.” He whispered into her hair, kissing it softly before silence fell over them, the only sound in the room being their breaths.

After what felt like eternity, she spoke up, her fingers twining with his, squeezing tightly as she looked at the ceiling, listening to his heartbeat, right underneath her ear.

“Why is this so difficult, Ethan? It shouldn’t be this hard. We shouldn’t have to fight it. I _don’t _want to fight it anymore. I want to be with you, everything else be damned.”

Their eyes met in the darkness, hers sparkling with emotions. He held her face between his hands, leaning in, whispering before their lips touched.

“I’d like that too.”

The kiss was slow and sweet, they had all the time in the world. For a moment, they could forget about all the reasons they shouldn’t be doing this. And for a while, they did. Their bodies close, lips pressed against one another urgently, like it was the last time they would ever get to do that. She was in the same position as the last time they were in the same bed, with her straddling him and his arms around her, until her flipped them over, laying on top of her.

“Tell me what you think, Ethan. I need to know what is going on in that head of yours. Before anything happens, I need to know the truth.” She whispered, looking up at him. She could see his hesitation, and after a while, she saw his resolve breaking.

“I’m… afraid. Afraid of letting anyone in. Afraid of what I feel. You are… an enigma, Claire. I never know that you think. You creeped into my head, took a hold over my heart, and there is nothing I can do to stop you. I tried to fight it, I tried to resist you, but it was all in vain. I am gone.” He tightened his arms around her even more, kissing her forehead as he spoke.

“I’m lost in your eyes, and there is no going back. I was afraid of admitting it to myself, but now I know better. I need you, Claire. I don’t know how to live without you in my life anymore. I know I hurt you, and I will apologize for as long as you want me too, but I’m begging you, forgive me. Let me in. Let me be there for you.”

She looked up and their eyes met, stripped off all the walls, all the barriers that stopped them before. Her eyes flickered to his lips and back up to his eyes, a sparkle of playfulness, mixed with something deeper was all she saw.

“Okay.” She whispered, and she fit her lips to his again, taking a deep breath, as though it was the first real breath she took in her entire life. He smiled, relieved, as he held her, comforted by the thought that he finally managed to do what he wasn’t able to even think of before. When he thought he was lost, there was Claire, guiding him back onto the road he was made to follow, into the light he longed to see. They fell asleep, buried into each other’s arms, finally honest with each other and it was the best sleep either of them ever had.


	9. IX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once you let yourself be happy, everything is easier.

A stray of sunlight fell upon Claire’s face as she woke up the next morning, but that was not what pulled her from her sleep. Even before she opened her eyes, she could feel a line of kisses that ran from her shoulder to the back of her neck, soft pecks and bites, soothed immediately with his lips. She didn’t have to look at him to know that he was smiling, the lingering feeling of happiness that stayed with them both since their conversation in the deep, dark night.

“I could wake up like this every day.” She murmured quietly, her voice laced with sleep, as she turned around to face him. Her fingers tangled in his hair and she pulled him down for a real kiss, taking him by surprise and causing him to fall on top of her.

“Claire! Are you okay?” he groaned against her lips, making her laugh. She kissed him again, and he didn’t complain, but braced himself on his arms to avoid crushing her further. “I’m serious, are you sure you’re fine?”

“I’m not made of glass, Ethan. And besides… you won’t hear any complaining from me about the position we are in right now…” she trailed off, their lips meeting again in a slow kiss. He moved down her neck, focused on her and her only, while she let her hands follow the lines of his body.

Her fingers dug into his sides, turning them over while tickling him mercilessly. An uncontrolled, true laughter erupted in his chest as he tried to shield himself from her attack. Claire grabbed his hands, pinning them to the mattress as she straddled him, immobilizing him effectively. Leaning forward, she brushed their noses against one another before looking into his eyes.

“Good morning.” She whispered, their lips almost touching. He tried to free his hands, and after a while, she allowed him to touch her. His arms wrapped around her, making her lay down on top of him, her ear right above his heart.

“Good morning indeed.” He mused, running his fingers through her hair.

“We have to get up, don’t we?”

“Unfortunately yes, even though I want nothing more than to spend the whole day here with you.” he spoke, looking at the ceiling. She leaned back, looking at him with a smirk.

“_Wow._ That’s some confidence you have there, Dr. Ramsey. Now come on, we better get ready before Luce busts the door open. Or worse-“

“_Natalie._” They spoke in unison, causing them both to burst out laughing.

Claire got out of bed and stood before the mirror on the wall, watching in the reflection as Ethan moved around the room. She had a pensive look on her face, trouble catching up to her.

“Ethan, I’m not making a mistake, am I?” the words flew out of her mouth so suddenly, it almost seemed like she didn’t mean to say them. He made a confused sound, turning towards her with a silent question. “With trusting you again, I mean.”

He walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her as their eyes locked in the mirror. She shivered, leaning backwards, her hands on his.

“I promise you, you’re not. I couldn’t do it to you, I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t perfectly sure of what I want. And I want you. You’re all I want, Claire.” He kissed her shoulder, nuzzling the column of her neck with his nose, causing her to laugh, pulling away from him. “Ha! So you are ticklish too.”

She said nothing, only turned around and kissed his cheek, before darting towards her door, not looking back at him. He shook his head, smirking as he watched her disappear from his view.

\---- ---- ----

They don’t see each other until they get to the restaurant for breakfast. She comes in last, and as she went past him, she leaned down to kiss his cheek sweetly. Ethan could feel his cheeks getting a little warm and he did his best to ignore the smirk on Natalie’s face and a squeal of excitement from Luce.

She was sitting a little closer to him than she used to, their legs brushing against each other with the slightest movement from either of them. Since she was a little late, she didn’t get the chance to get herself coffee, so she decided that he wouldn’t mind sharing his with her. Not that she told him about it, and when he caught her red handed, she just smiled innocently, looking into his eyes boldly as she took another sip. Challenging him to do something about it. All he did was pass her a chocolate cookie he grabbed earlier, offering it to her along with a disarming smile that she just couldn’t resist.

They were so in their own world that neither noticed or heard the sound of the camera going off on the other side of the table, Natalie being on duty as much as ever.

\----- ---- -----

Luce was standing next to a colorful garden full of flowers, both her doctors by her side as they waited for her parents to return. They were talking, but it should be said that Claire and Luce did most of the talking. All because Ethan was lost in his thoughts, his eyes glued to the redhead next to him. Suddenly, like a flash, he got hit with an idea that would be just as entertaining for his young patient as it was amusing for both Claire and him.

“Hey Luce, do you want to see a cool trick?” he asked, mischief spelled all over his face. Claire looked at him, already sensing that something was about to go down.

“Yes!” Luce exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement.

He bent down a little, picking Claire up by her legs, maneuvering her so she finally rested on top of his shoulders. She shouted in surprise, but for the safety of them both went with it, and when she was sitting comfortably, her hands searched for any sort of source of stability. Her fingers tangled into his hair, pulling on it tightly to keep herself in the upright position. She felt him groan more than she heard it, as he was clearly constricting himself in front of Luce, but as he asks her to lean in and she does, his voice is filled with longing and has a dangerous edge.

“If you continue doing this, I’ll have to find some place private and have my way with you.” he warned her, his lips directly by her ear, as much as their current position allowed.

“What makes you think that wasn’t my plan all along?” she says without missing a beat and uses the element of surprise to kiss him on the nose playfully, pulling on his hair even more as she leans back into her previous place. His hold on her legs tightens slightly, the only way for him to communicate how much she is messing with him in the current moment.

As soon as they are all together again, Luce demands that they go for a boat ride attraction. The seats can hold two people at once, and so it is decided. Ethan and Claire go in the first one, then goes Luce with Natalie, and Andrew would be going alone, right after his family. It just so happened that right after Claire and Ethan got in, another group took the next three boats, so they would have to wait for the rest of their company once they finished their ride.

If anyone asked either of them what they saw in the ride, they wouldn’t be able to give a real answer. All because, as soon as they got into a tunnel and it got dark around them, Claire’s hands were suddenly pinned on either side of her and his lips were on top of hers. She made a low sound in the back of her throat as she responded immediately, biting down on his lower lip and pulling on it, causing him to groan. Both were panting, trying really hard to not be too loud, just so they could avoid pointing any attention to them. His hold on her hands loosened and she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him even closer to her. He saw in the corner of his eye the end of the ride, and pulled away from her just in time for them both to get themselves presentable again.

It was probably a good thing that they had to wait a moment for their companions, gave them those precious minutes to cool down from the moment of their passion. He excused himself for a moment, going straight to the booth and spotting the photo of them kissing immediately. He bought two copies, storing them safely until they got to their rooms and had a chance to put them away.

Claire had no idea how it was possible to have as much energy as Luce had, but the moment she got off her boat, she was already moving, pulling everyone along her. She was about to make the first step after the little girl, when an arm shot out in front of her, pulling her back.

“Your ride awaits. Hop on.” he laughed, kneeling in front of her, allowing her to resume her position on top of his shoulders. She pressed a quick peck onto his lips before complying to his wishes. Another sound of camera could be heard, this time Ethan turned to Natalie, shaking his head with a slight smile.

\---- ---- ----

As much as the rest of the days was uneventful to the person from the outside, it was filled with little gestures that brightened up the whole experience for Claire and Ethan. Kisses, holding hands, hugging and getting to see something new together, it was all something they never did, and something they would never exchange for anything else.

When they got to their rooms that evening, she didn’t even bother letting him in through their joined door.

“Come on, handsome, no more sneaking around. And no nightmares tonight.” She pulled on his hands, closing the door to her room behind them.

He looked at her, stunned by the woman before him, how deeply he felt for her, and how much he hoped she did too. They both got ready for bed, laying down eventually, his arms wrapped tightly around her as she laid on top of him.

“Goodnight.” He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her hair, smiling to himself.

“I can feel you smiling. Goodnight.” She murmured quietly, just as sleep took over her, and they both drifted off into a peaceful slumber.


	10. X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last day in Paris brings dancing and laughter by day, and passion rising by night.

For their last day in Disneyland, they decided to abandon any plans and just take it one moment at a time. Claire woke up with Ethan, his head on her stomach, arms wrapped tightly around her. She had no idea how he got there, but he looked too peaceful to wake him. So instead, she settled for running her fingers through his hair, humming softly to herself as she watched him sleep.

She tried to wrap her head around the events of the last two days. How they went from friends to something more, back to what seemed like the beginning, and now… they were here. He told her he wanted her, that she wasn’t making a mistake by trusting him again. She felt the need to have them both sit down and talk about it, sooner rather than later, and since they had a slower day ahead of them, now would be ideal.

Her line of thoughts was interrupted by him stirring, a low groan escaping his lips as he stretched, turning his head to leave a soft kiss on her stomach. He looked up and their eyes met, a surprised spark flashing in them as he saw her looking right at him.

“You’re staring, Rookie. Don’t you have more interesting things to look at?” he asked as he moved up the bed so their faces were on the same level. She smirked before answering.

“More interesting? Maybe… But definitely not more attractive.” She muttered, their lips brushing against one another as she spoke, before they met halfway.

He smiled into the kiss, surprised at how effortless it was to be happy with her. He felt light, like nothing was out of reach when he had her by his side; he has never felt like this before.

She wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him in closer, kisses growing in intensity as time went on. His hands were stroking the skin of her shoulders as much as they could in his current position. They were both getting lost in each other fairly quickly, and they both knew it was dangerous, and they could easily be interrupted any second. With that in mind, Claire pulled away, pecking him on the nose playfully before moving them both into sitting position.

“I need to talk to you.” she started, watching as lines appeared on his forehead, worry slowly twisting his features.

“Oh oh, that doesn’t sound so good. Okay, you have my full attention, what’s on your mind?” his hand was resting on her knee, tracing small patterns on her skin.

“We… changed during the last two days, and before you jump into any conclusions, I am thrilled that we did, believe me. But it also made me wonder… what are we exactly, Ethan? Because we are more than friends and…” she was beginning to talk faster and faster, her breathing elevated. He stopped her with a quick kiss, calming her down enough to let him talk.

“Claire, breathe, you’re going to pass out from lack of oxygen. You will always be my friend, you understand me like not many before you could. But I don’t think I can be just friends with you. Not anymore. Because now I know what it’s like to sleep by your side. What it’s like to hold you close to me, feel your warmth, see you smile. What it’s like to kiss you until I don’t remember my own name. I don’t want to go back to what was before. I _can’t_.” he moved a piece of her hair behind her ear, pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek. She smiled softly, blushing a little as she listened to his words, describing what she felt so ideally, they might as well have been her own words.

“I think we both agree that words like ‘boyfriend’ and ‘girlfriend’ don’t exactly suit me, and they don’t express what I’m feeling well enough. And while dating you would be the apex of my dreams had I been a few years younger, that doesn’t express what I want you to be for me either. I want to be with you, Claire. I want you to be mine, and I want to be yours.”

He was waiting in anticipation, his insides were being squeezed as he waited for her to say something. She looked at him, her eyes sparkling in the light of the morning, absorbing every word he said. Just as he was about to say something, she giggled softly, throwing her arms around his neck to pull him into a deep kiss. He responded immediately, feeling all the tension leave his body as he tightened his grip on her, hauling her onto his lap.

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted with you and more, Ethan.” She mused between kisses, falling back against the bed and taking him with her, deepening the kiss even more. He braced himself on one arm and let his other hand wander over her body, teasing her skin more and more…

And there was a knock on the door.

“Dr. Herondale? I just came to tell you that we’re leaving in thirty minutes. Can you pass the message to Dr. Ramsey? He isn’t answering to knocks on his door.” Natalie’s voice could be heard through the door. They looked at one another, amused.

“Yes, thank you!” she answered, listening for the sound of footsteps retreating, before turning back to face Ethan. “I’m informing you that we are leaving in thirty minutes, since you are not answering to knocks on your door. I wonder where you could be, and what you could be doing that caused you not to respond.” She trailed off as she ran her fingers through his hair, pulling on, causing him to groan in frustration.

“If only we had more time…” he moaned against the skin on her neck as he let his head fall forward.

“If we did, we would not leave this room.” She pecked him one last time and got up before he could reach for her again. “Come on, we have to get ready, or Luce is going to come here, and I’m not going to be the one to explain to her just why both her doctors were late.”

He let out a sound of disagreement, and she looked at him over the shoulder, smiling innocently, and right as he was looking her into the eyes, she dropped her shirt onto the floor purposefully. She bent down, retrieving it slowly, and she laughed as she heard him groan loudly in frustration, cursing their lack of time.

\---- ---- ----

Last day in Disneyland was as bright as the first one. Sun was high in the sky, light breeze was moving their hair, and it was pleasantly warm. Claire was walking with Luce, holding her hand as she pointed towards something, explaining it as best as she could. Ethan, who has disappeared for a while, has returned, holding something behind his back. He kneeled down in front of Luce, presenting her with a small flower.

“There you go, a flower for a princess.” He smiled as the little girl hugged him tightly, running off to her mother afterwards. He then stood up, revealing another flower. He put it behind Claire’s ear, kissing her cheek softly.

“And a flower for a queen.” He was serious, and she laughed as she caught his hand, lacing their fingers together.

“A queen of what?”

“Well, my heart, my mind, my every thought, my dreams, my desires…” he lowered his voice slightly, speaking directly to her as their eyes met.

“Careful, we have a whole day to spend with other people.” She pulled on his hand, guiding them along with their companions.

While Luce insisted on roller coasters, Claire and Ethan stayed behind, sitting on the bench in the nearby garden. Holding hands, kissing and talking quietly, though if they had to be honest, most of the time they were kissing. Completely oblivious to their surroundings, lost in each other.

Once they were joined by their companions again, they went for a stroll. Various characters were walking past them, their surroundings were so colorful their eyes would hurt if they didn’t move them often enough. The air was filled with the scents of food as they passed many food trucks, the peaceful atmosphere engulfing them, filling them with giddiness.

Ethan walked behind Claire, observing how her hair caught the light, how it moved with every step she took and how the wind swung it from side to side. Luce was holding her hand and they were deep in conversation. For the first time that day he had the opportunity to look at what she was wearing. Her dress was flowing softly as the air around them moved, the pink, flowy material reached her knees, heels in a similar color adorning her feet.

As he was getting lost in his thoughts, Luce suddenly exclaimed cheerfully, pulling them all towards the square, surrounded by trees. A band was playing songs from the movie, and the little girl grabbed her mother’s hand, jumping happily. Ethan watched the whole ordeal with a wistful smile on his face, distracted so much that he didn’t see Claire approaching him.

“Come on, Dr. Grumpy. Dance with me.” She grabbed his hand, pulling him to the center of the square, not leaving him any choice in that matter.

He wrapped his hands around her waist, pressing them closely together as they moved slowly to the delicate music. He didn’t have much knowledge about Disney movies or songs from them, but if he had to guess, he’d say that the song was from a ballroom scene. Claire rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as they swayed from side to side, getting lost in the feeling of utter and complete peacefulness. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, smiling to himself.

Then, the music changed, and Claire snapped up, her eyes sparkling as she laughed. She exclaimed that she loved that song, and pulled away from him, dancing alone as she sang the words along with musicians. Ethan watched her in amusement, her sudden outburst shocking, but not surprising, as he knew that she was always down for singing and dancing. He didn’t actually pay attention to what the song was about or the lyrics of it, at least not until Claire turned towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling their faces closely together, singing quietly, her voice deep, eyes locked on his,

“_Did I mention that I’m in love with you? And did I mention, there’s nothing I can do. And did I happen to say, I dream of you everyday…”_ she trailed off, smiling as she made them dance again. He twirled her around, smiling more and more as she continued singing her heart out, the words making his head dizzy and his own heart fluttering in his chest despite his best efforts to remain calm. Claire left his embrace, moving behind him, hugging him closely as her lips brushed against his ear.

“_Because my love for you is ridiculous…”_ she left a kiss on his earlobe, falling back into his arms as the song ended. He hugged her closely to him as he lifted her off the ground, turning a couple of times before stopping and fitting their lips together in a kiss. She smiled, twisting in his arms, adjusting to a more comfortable position, tangling her fingers into his hair, pulling on it slightly. He growled impatiently, the sound masked by the music that began playing again. He wanted nothing more than to take her back to the hotel and have his way with her, but they still had duties to perform, things to see and do, so, reluctant as he was, he pulled away, letting her back down with a final kiss on the forehead.

“Let’s keep moving before I decide I no longer care and whisk you far away from here.” He said under his breath, making her laugh as she nodded, walking away from the music with the rest of their company.

\---- ---- ----

Night fell over Paris as they finally made their way back to their hotel for the last time. Tomorrow they would go back to Boston and everything would be different. But that was still to come. For now, they bid goodbye to Luce and her parents, retreating for the night.

They didn’t even make it through the door to her room before their lips met in a passionate lock, hands running over their bodies in a hurried manner. They somehow managed to get in, slamming the door shut behind them as he pressed her up against them, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. She placed her hands on his chest, her fingers undoing the buttons of his shirt, pushing the material away from his skin. She ran her hands over his muscles, feeling them contracting beneath her touch. He groaned, grabbing her hips, pressing against her with desperation.

Claire moved away from the door, pushing him back, still kissing as they approached her bed. He fell onto the mattress, looking up at her as she stared back at him. Her teeth sunk into her lower lip as she took in the sight in front of her, contemplating her next move. A spark of mischief flashed in her eyes as she leaned down, running her index finger up and down his leg, still covered by the thin material of his pants. A shiver run through him, desire burning in his eyes as he watched with anticipation, waiting for her next move.

On her way up his body she brushed her fingers against him slightly, drawing a low growl, his hips snapping upwards to meet her touch, only to be denied any form of relief. She smirked as she saw how desperate for her he was, the effect she had on him, how much he wanted her. She crawled onto the bed, moving to straddle him, her hips right over his, but not quite touching. His hands flew to her sides, but she pinned them to the bed, shaking her head. Then, ever so slowly, she lowered herself against him, moving back and forth slowly, her eyes slamming shut as she fell deeper into the pit of pleasure. He moaned loudly, his hips trashing up and down as he searched for any friction. She leaned down, pressing a line of kisses against his skin, from his collarbone, up the side of his neck and finally settling on his lips. She bit his lower lip, pulling on it as she made a sound of want, need. Her hips slammed down against his, the material of his pants restricting him, adding more pressure for them both, her fingers sliding down his chest to the zipper of his pants when-

“Dr. Herondale? Dr. Ramsey? Come on, we’re going to look at the stars from the rooftop!” Luce’s voice rang through the door, stopping them completely in their actions. Ethan’s head fell against the bed, groaning in frustration as they were once again interrupted, and Claire had to bite her lip to restrain herself from laughing too loudly.

“We’ll be right there, Luce!” she called out, moving from the top of him and off the bed, walking to the mirror to assess the state she was in. Ethan, on the other hand, was still laying down, eyes closed, face twisted in discomfort. “Come on, it will be fun.” She teased him, approaching him once more, pulling on his hands to make him sit down.

“You know what would be fun? If I didn’t have to share you with anyone else. If I could lock you here and have my way with you so many times that we wouldn’t be able to walk tomorrow. _That_ would be fun.” He grumbled as he let his head fall forward, resting against her stomach, his arms around her.

“Oh, believe me, I’m sure it would be, but it’s our last day in Paris. And we came here for her. Come on, you can show me the city skyline at night.” She pulled away, winking at him before pulling them both out the door.

\---- ---- ----

The cool air brushed against their bodies as they opened the door. The rooftop was bathed in darkness, no lights were turned on, allowing them to see the lights of the city more prominently. Moreover, the sky was clear, and if they looked up, they could see the stars, shining softly far away from them.

Claire moved to the edge of the roof, grabbing onto the railing as she watched the life in the city go by, even in the late hours of night. Ethan stood behind her, caging her with his arms between his body and the smooth metal. He brushed her hair from her shoulder, pressing a tender kiss to her neck as she hugged herself against him.

“It’s beautiful.” She whispered, looking at the bright lights below them.

“It really is. But there is something here that is gorgeous.” She murmured into her ear, and she didn’t have to turn around to know that he was smirking, pleased with her reaction as she blushed.

She turned in his arms, pulling him in for a short, loving kiss before hugging him closely, breathing in his scent. After a while they sat down on the bench, talking to their company quietly, pointing out different shapes in the stars to Luce, laughing as they shared their last night in Paris.


	11. XI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home welcomes them with reunions and prompts confessions.

The airport was as packed as ever, people were stumbling over everything and everyone. Suitcases were an additional obstacle, and they were thankful that their luggage were already taken care of. Once he was in his seat in the plane, he felt all the tension leave his body. He watched as Luce pounced in her seat, swinging her legs from side to side as her parents seated themselves next to her.

He felt a delicate touch on his arm, followed by a kiss on his cheek. Claire sat down next to him, lacing their fingers together.

“Happy to be going home?” she asked, smiling softly, something in her expression hiding behind that smile.

“My home is where you are, but I do miss my apartment. You know, Jenner, the silence, the peace-“

“Your bed…” she teased, running her hand up and down his arm provocatively with a sly smirk. He caught her wrist, stopping her further actions. He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear.

“If you don’t stop that, I can promise you that the first thing I’ll do when I get you home is throw you onto that bed.” He warned, biting her earlobe not so slightly. A shiver ran down her body and she sighed softly.

“Please do and never let me leave.” She shot back, challenging him to bite back. He managed to control himself, but barely if he had to be honest.

The plane gets in the air and they get comfortable for the long flight. Luce starts watching a movie, her parents reading and talking. Claire was preparing to lay back and relax, but she caught Ethan’s expression in the corner of her eye. He was watching her, his expression unreadable to an outsider, but she knew better. She knew that expression, she’s seen it before. _Desire and want, _burning in his eyes, darkening them in the artificial lighting. She winked at him, causing them both to laugh.

“I have a question.” She severed the silence between them about two hours into the flight. He looked back at her, diverting his eyes from the view behind the window.

“Yes?”

“Are you planning on throwing yourself at me in your sleep and pretending to be sleeping for fifteen minutes after you wake up just so you can hug me?” she smirked, recalling his behavior from their previous flight. He felt his cheeks flushing a little, but she saw the spark of mischief passing his eyes.

“No, I don’t.” he responded before wrapping his arms around her midsection, placing his head on her chest, lying on top of her. “I intend on doing it with full premeditation and take as much pleasure of it as I can get.” He murmured against her stomach. She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice so only he could hear her.

“Careful about the pleasure, or we’ll have to find somewhere private.” She teased and he groaned quietly at her merciless actions.

“Don’t be surprised if you never make it home today, Rookie. I just might take you up on that offer.”

“By all means, don’t let me stop you.” she laughed, kissing his forehead before leaning back against her seat, her fingers running through his hair soothingly as he slept through their flight.

\------ ------ ------

The rest of the flight was pretty uneventful, save for the small kiss she woke him up with as they were preparing for landing. They got their luggage fairly quickly and made their way towards the exit. Their hands intertwined, thumbs tracing slow circles. The time they could be together freely was coming to an end, and now they were going to face the hard part: coming back to reality.

“Claire! Over here!” they heard a very excited voice, which Claire recognized immediately as Sienna’s. She winked at Ethan as she saw his expression turning a little sour, probably because he wouldn’t get a chance to drive her home, and let his hand go, running to greet her best friend. They wrapped their arms around one another, squeezing each other in a tight hug.

“I missed you so much!” she exclaimed and moved to pull away, but Sienna had other plans. She tightened her grip, whispering urgently.

“Dr. Ramsey is looking at as. At me, like he wants me to disappear, and at _you_, like he wants your _clothes_ to disappear. So, what. Happened? Details, please!” she laughed as they eventually separated, and Claire sneaked a look at the doctor. He was indeed looking at her, pleading with his eyes to come back to his side. She smiled cheekily at him, turning back to Sienna.

“I’ll tell you everything in the car. But for now, I have to say goodbye to them, I’ll see you in a sec?”

“Sure. And please, don’t hold back in your pleasantries if you know what I mean.” Sienna nodded, wiggling her eyebrows at the redhead. She laughed, walking back to her trip companions. Luce was standing next to her parents, talking with her mother quietly.

“Sienna is here to pick me up, so that means that I have to go. Come here, light.” She beckoned Luce to approach her, using the Italian meaning of her name. The two embraced tightly, whispering for a short while. When they leaned back, Luce had tears in her eyes.

“Thank you for coming with me, Dr. Herondale.” She sniffled but smiled, letting Claire go.

The young doctor then moved to Andrew, shaking his hand briefly, and then to Natalie, who embraced her tightly, saying something about all the photos she took, how she was going to send them to her in the near future and how happy and proud she was of her and Ethan for getting over themselves. Claire laughed, nodding her head as she thanked her for everything.

And then she turned to Ethan, who had and unreadable expression on his face yet again. She could feel something was in the air. Maybe it was his disappointment that he didn’t get to drive her home, maybe it was his sadness that the trip was over, or maybe it was something else. She couldn’t tell, because he seemed to have put on his mask in front of their companions. She approached him slowly, calculating her next move carefully to not overstep a line he might have already drawn.

“So, here is where we depart for the time being. Are you going to be okay with driving home by yourself?” she spoke softly, watching him as he watched her. She noticed his expression changing, very slightly, almost invisibly. “Ethan? Are you oka-“

He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her close to him as he slammed his lips to her. In front of everyone, without a single care in the world. She responded softly, embracing him tightly. After a short moment he pulled away, almost as though he came to his senses, and she expected him to pull away, but he didn’t. He pressed his forehead to hers, still hugging her tightly to him.

“There is no way for you to go home with me, is there?” he murmured under his breath and they both laughed quietly.

“No, unfortunately Sienna has already booked herself an appointment of hot gossip around our trip and there is no way I can get out of that. You’ll just have to be patient.”

“As if I’m not always that.” He said and she leaned back to look at him incredulously. “What?”

“You are _not_ patient. At all.” She shook her head as he immediately responded.

“Excuse you, I’ve waited for you very patiently.”

“No, you were being silly, not patient. Not the same, Dr. Ramsey.” She raised her eyebrow at him and after a very short staring contest he conceded, smiling at her. “Now, I really have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“You’ll hear from me today, I don’t think I’ll be able to stay away from you for long.” he smirked and they shared one last kiss before she waved her hand at them and was dragged away by Sienna.

\----- ----- -----

“So wait, let me get this straight. You two have been basically dancing around one another, then he took you to what sounds like the most romantic place ever, you two _kissed_, and then he screwed up, then you two made up and now you two are… together I guess, and it all happened _in one week?_ Talk about moving fast.” Sienna laughed as Claire nodded, deep in her thoughts.

“He has been very supportive, with my nightmares and all. And we talked through our issues, which I’m really happy about.”

“And did something… _special_ happened?” her friend asked, a suggestive tone in her voice.

“Sienna!” laughter filled the car as they approached their apartment.

“What? He was basically undressing you with his eyes back at the airport, something must have happened!”

“Oh my god, I’m never going anywhere with you again!” Claire giggled, but then she went silent for a moment, thoughtful. “We almost did.” She finally confessed, her voice quiet.

“Almost? Why almost?”

“We got… interrupted.” A furious blush appeared on her cheeks as she diverted her eyes from her friend.

“Ah… so I take that you two are frustrated… maybe I should have let you go home with him…” Sienna trailed off, looking at her friend knowingly. Claire smacked her friend’s arm playfully before both of them went to their apartment.

“We are not talking about it now. I don’t know what he wants to do now, so it would be ideal to keep it under wraps, at least for now.”

“I won’t say a word.” She swore before leaning close to Claire to whisper. “You’ll expose it yourself.” She laughed as the redhead looked at her, horrified.

“Sienna!” she exclaimed as their laughter travelled through the air, overshadowed by the sounds of reunion.

\----- ----- -----

Ethan moved through the hospital halls with newfound confidence. He didn’t feel uncomfortable or scared that he would run into her anymore. Now, he was excited about seeing her, though before he could do that, he had one thing to do.

That’s how he got where he was now. Pacing on the floor of Naveen’s office nervously as he tried to get his thoughts together. All he could think about was Claire.

“Ethan, you’re going to run a hole in the carpet. Sit down and tell me what this is about.” He tried calming him down, but he seemed to not have heard him.

Then, all of a sudden, he stopped moving, stood in front of his mentor and said.

“I love her.”

A short confession, three words, eight letters. To some people they meant nothing, to others it meant everything. To him, it meant freedom, it meant happiness, it meant… Claire.

“I love her, Naveen. I cannot stand to the side and watch her move on. I love her, I need her, I don’t want to let her go. I used to think that it would be wrong for us to be together, but I realized that what is wrong is putting a lid on emotions that threaten to make me combust every day I wake up and every night when I go to sleep. I love her. I can’t lose her, Naveen.”

“Ethan-“

“I tried, I really tried not to let her close to me, I tried not to fall for her, and it got me exactly to nowhere. But I got everything. I got _her_, and I got so close to losing her. I can’t risk doing that again, not after I screwed up so many times. She won’t be putting up with me and my mistakes forever, one of those times she’s going to realize what she deserves and leave me…”

“Ethan.”

“And I really don’t want that to happen, not when I finally have something worth fighting for. I-“

“Ethan!”

“What?”

“Did you tell her any of what you just told me?” Naveen stood up from his seat, making his way around his desk and sitting on the edge of it, his arms folded.

“No…?”

“And why is that?”

“Because I still don’t know if I can be with her? It’s not one of the easy situations, where we are colleagues and can just let go of my fears. She works in the same field as me, she’s on my team, Naveen. It’s going to look-“

“Like you’re in love? For god’s sake, Ethan, you are fooling exactly no one. Everyone sees the way you look at her when you think no one is looking. We already know you are in love, it’s time for you two acknowledge that too. If you want her, then be with her. Why would you let your work or some imaginary boundaries stop you from being happy? She makes you happy, Ethan, don’t let anything get in the way of that.”

Ethan looked at his mentor with wide eyes. Was he really that obvious? Did everyone see it before he did? He was about to say something, but Naveen’s face expression stopped him from doing that. He managed to nod before walking towards the door, and as he was about to exit, the older doctor called out to him one last time.

“Ethan? When you have a chance… tell her.”

\----- ----- -----

Claire was on a mission. She made her morning rounds, making sure her patients were stable, before going all the way up to his office. She took a deep breath, knocking on the door sharply and walking in, looking to see if he was alone. He was buried in files, didn’t even lift his eyes to look at who was disturbing his silence.

“Can I help you with anyth- Claire!” he exclaimed as their eyes met, a gentle smile growing on his lips. He began standing up, but she shook her head, closing the door behind her before walking over to him.

She stood between his legs, running her fingers through his hair as his eyes fluttered close. He embraced her, pulling her as close as their position allowed him to, letting himself have a moment of peace before they both would be thrown into the madness.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, getting lost in her touch.

“We didn’t get much time together yesterday, and I have just a little time to pass… if you’re interested?” she smirked slyly at him, the playful edge in her voice causing his eyes to snap open.

“What did you have in mind?”

“Well…” she began, placing her hands on his shoulders, turning him around in his chair, his back to her. Her hands starter massaging his back and his head fell forward with a suppressed groan. She moved down his arms and back up again, trailing to his chest, inch by inch.

“That’s not what I meant-“

“Shhh, patience. You claim to be so good with it.” she giggled as she leaned down, brushing her lips against the side of his neck. He shuddered visibly, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the sides of the chair tightly.

Her fingers delved beneath the fabric of his shirt, scraping his skin there. The air seemed to be electrified, the room mostly quiet if it wasn’t for small whimpers that were escaping his lips with each kiss she left on his body.

He didn’t see it coming when she spinned him back around and climbed into his lap. He looked at her like she was the biggest miracle in the world, his arms embracing her immediately, their lips pressing together. Claire moaned at the sensation, running her fingers up his sides and the sides of his neck, finally tangling in his hair, pulling on it with purpose. The sound he made was a reward she was after, his grip on her tightening as she shifted, rubbing against him. He was getting louder and louder with every movement of their bodies, her lips leaving his, biting her way to his collarbone, moving the material of his shirt aside to suck on his skin there. He breathed heavily, his eyes falling shut again as his head fell backwards.

“Claire… I-“ he almost said it, he had it on the tip of his tongue, and he would have said it if it wasn’t for the unmistakable sound of a pager going off.

He groaned in frustration and she managed to not giggle too loudly as she checked the message she got.

“It would seem as though I am needed elsewhere-“

“_I need you, right here._” He let out a frustrated sigh, running his hand through his hair. She shook her head, leaning down to kiss him one last time before standing up, straightening her clothes and hair.

“We’ll have to pick it up later then. _Don’t miss me too much._” she smirked and left, winking at him over her shoulder.

Alone again in the silence of his office, he had a moment to reflect on his situation. His talk with Naveen has opened his eyes.

He loved her.

He knew that for a while now. He’s felt it for a while now. He didn’t know it was love, but now he does. And he wants to tell her, more than anything.


	12. XII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It seems like the universe hates him... and loves to interrupt them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains NSFW scenes  
So, yes, I sinned :D  
Enjoy! <3

It was amazing how many times a day other doctors bothered him. And by amazing, he meant disturbing. Infuriating. He lost count of the amount of times interns approached him to ask about something trivial, about something not connected to their job. His head was beginning to hurt and all he wanted was to slam the door to his office and fall asleep.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t do that. Not when there were lives to save, cases to crack, patients to examine. He had to make do of all the moments he could be alone, in complete silence. Just like he was now, in the darkness of the supply closet, where he went to find the syringe he needed.

He was beginning to relax, even if for a moment, when the door opened, bathing the room in the strong, bright light. He groaned internally, closing his eyes in frustration. But then he felt a cold hand on his forehead, a soothing touch that made his headache disappear.

“Are you okay?” her voice rang through the room softly, causing his eyes to snap open.

“What are you doing here, Rookie?”

“I saw you coming here, you seemed stressed. Thought you could use… a little break.” She stroked his cheek comfortingly, but there was a suspicious underlayer to her voice. She was up to something, and he had his suspicions about what it might have been.

“And what do you think I need?” he smiled, his hands coming to rest on her hips, beneath her white coat, spreading his fingers.

“I may have a few things in mind… you just need a distraction.” she whispered, hauling him onto her as she leaned back against the wall.

He was caught by surprise yet again, and he barely managed to keep himself steady as their bodies pressed together tightly. Her lips captured his, her fingers tangled in his hair, eyes closed. In the darkness of the room they couldn’t see the blush that resided on her cheeks, nor the way his pupils dilated when he opened his eyes for a brief moment, just before he aimed his lips on her neck.

She moaned softly as he gripped her body tighter, throwing one leg around his hips, allowing him to grind against her, the tension in their bodies rising. He nipped on all the skin he could reach, feeling the last bits of his control slipping away as she made noises that burned into his mind. He couldn’t forget them if he tried, and he knew he would be reliving this moment many times.

“You can distract me anytime you want.” he breathed in deeply, her scent intoxicating his senses.

Her whole body was responding to his calls, dancing to the music he played. He spread her legs further apart, nestling himself between them with a satisfied growl. They were getting lost in each other, more and more as their kisses got hungrier, needier, moans louder and more desperate. His fingers trailed up her body, reaching the buttons of her blouse, he even managed to get the first one undone, when a loud crash down the hall, startling them both.

“How is it that we always seem to get interrupted?” he wondered out loud, helping her get back to the presentable state. She laughed, smoothing down his hair softly.

“Maybe it’s the punishment. Did you do something bad in your previous life? Killed someone? Sang Christmas songs in summer? Drank orange juice after washing your teeth?” she wondered out loud, tapping her finger on her jaw. He looked at her, amused, as she threw him a glance from the corner of her eye playfully before laughing loudly.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Not that I’m surprised. You’re so _old. _Ancient even.” She whispered, shrugging her shoulders as her hands ran up and down his chest. He shuddered slightly, his hands returning to her sides.

“That’s funny. You didn’t seem to mind my age the last time I had you, when I made you scream my name all night.”

“Is that a promise, Dr. Ramsey?” she smirked provocatively, her hands playing with his hair on the base of his neck. “And besides, I’m fairly sure it’s because of how _experienced_ you are.”

“Are you complaining?” he murmured, their eyes meeting in an intense stare. She shook her head confidently.

“No. Never, not even in a million years.”

“Good.” He pecked her lips playfully but didn’t expect her to catch his lower lip between her teeth, tugging on it impatiently. A deep, guttural moan escaped his lips, his hands tightening on her hips, the fire fueling back up.

“We both know you wouldn’t be able to stay away if you tried. And besides…” She stopped, leaning towards him, her lips hanging right over his. “… I _really_ enjoy teasing you.”

“Rookie, you-“

Interrupted once again, they had to separate, pretend like nothing was happening as the door opened and a nurse walked in. They bid each other goodbye and went their separate ways, knowing that one way or another, they would end up in each other’s arms again.

\------ ------ ------

His apartment was quiet when he opened the door, Jenner jumping up from his spot to greet him. He abandoned his briefcase by the entrance and moved to the kitchen, starting himself a simple dinner. The room filled with delicious smell of spices and cooked food, his tired mind slipping further away from the troubles of the day.

The relative silence was broken by the sound of a text message arriving on his phone. His face twisted as he realized he’d probably have to respond to it, which he hated, but as he saw who it was, he didn’t mind as much.

_C: Did you get home safely?_

Ethan smiled at her concern, sitting more comfortably on the couch as he prepared his answer.

_E: I did, thanks for caring about me._

_C: Of course I care about you._

She said that as though it was something obvious, a well-known fact, and it made warmth spread in his chest.

_E: Are you back home too?_

_C: No, I’m on a break. Say ‘hi’ to Jenner from me._

_E: He’s a dog._

_C: He likes me, and I like him, tell him I said ‘hi’._

He looked up from his phone, his eyes finding his dog looking at him like he was waiting for something. He sighed heavily before speaking with a hint of a smile in his voice.

“Claire says ‘hi’” he said, and Jenner barked happily, almost as though he understood. Ethan shook his head, laughing quietly before going back to his conversation.

_E: Jenner says ‘hi’ too._

_C: Told you._

_C: By the way, how is it possible that I’m having this conversation with you over texts?_

_E: You do know I can write, right?_

_C: And now you’re cocky about it? Who are you and what did you do to Ethan Ramsey?_

_E: The things I do for you, Rookie._

_C: Awww, I knew you liked me! I’ll see you later?_

His heart squeezed at the word ‘like’ as though it was an insult. It was true, he did like her, but that was not all. He loved her, which was far more important to him, and he couldn’t wait until the opportunity to tell her exactly that would arise.

_E: I miss you already._

_C: As do I, Ethan._

That concluded their conversation, making him fall against the back of the couch, a frustrated groan escaping his lips. He decided to go finish and eat his dinner, do anything at all that would take his mind off and away from the redhead that consumed his every thought.

\------- ------ ------

The sound of the doorbell rang through the room, pulling his attention away from the book he was reading. He went to open them, and his heart skipped a beat. Claire was leaning on the doorframe, a sly smirk on her face. In one hand she had a bottle of wine, in the other she held a box with chocolate cake inside. Before she could say anything, he reached for her, his arm looping around her waist as he pressed his lips to hers. She hummed softly, letting him walk her inside, their bodies pushing the door close as he pinned her to it. The kiss broke after a few seconds of them devouring each other, and when he leaned back, she was still smirking.

“Hello to you too. If it didn’t know any better, I’d say you missed me.” She teased him slightly, moving around him to place the bottle and the box on the kitchen counter. He followed her, suddenly unable to stand even the slightest distance between them. Putting his hands on either side of her, he pressed himself against her body. Her head turned to the side, watching him as he pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

“I did miss you. As I always do when you are away. You’re just… irresistible.”

“Well, now you have me here, you don’t have to miss me anymore.” She laughed, her body shaking a little.

She used his moment of surprise to turn around in his arms, her fingers spread against his chest. Their eyes locked and for a split moment it seemed as though she was leaning in closer to him, but before he could react, she slipped from his grasp, running to his cabinet.

“Now, I wasn’t here enough times to know where you keep everything, so I might need your help here.”

“Anything you need.” He said as he leaned on the counter slightly, his eyes following her around.

“Wine glasses and two forks.” She responded, pointing with her head towards the bottle and a piece of cake next to him.

He nodded, moving towards her. His hand began to move, completely by accident brushing against her as he reached for the upper shelf, getting two glasses and setting them down on the counter. He then walked past her, his hand brushing her again, touching her hip this time, before retrieving two forks from the drawer. He placed them next to the glasses and turned to the counter, his body sliding next to her, unapologetically pressing against her. She had to bite her lip to stop a low moan that threatened to get out.

“I know what you’re doing.” She said, eyeing him as he shrugged his shoulders.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just doing what you asked.” He replied, but had a boyish smirk on his face, betraying his intentions.

He poured the wine, passing her one of the glasses, their fingers brushing against each other. She stared at him boldly, her pupils dilating slightly in the soft light of his apartment. He drank in her every movement, her every expression, the way her cheeks reddened a little under the intensity of his stare. They clinked their glasses, their eyes locked as they drank the dark liquid.

They were playing the game they began back in Paris, walking on the edge between common sense and their desires. He stepped closer to her, and she took a step back. Their movements were like a dance, and the final moment ended with them both sitting on the couch.

That’s where they spent the next couple of minutes, drinking wine and laughing as they talked, a sense of comfort in the air. Somewhere between the endless conversation and a fit of giggles he moved her legs onto his lap, his hands running up and down in soothing motions. From her ankles, through her calves and to the top of her thighs, where he lingered for a while, enjoying the way her breath hitched when he edged the apex of her legs.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Ramsey. My question is…” she bit her lip, watching as his eyes dropped, watching her actions intensively. “… how dangerous do you want to get?”

“I’m willing to take that risk with you.” he murmured leaning close, his one hand leaving her leg to touch her cheek, his lips capturing hers in a deep kiss that took her breath away.

Her fingers trailed up his neck, tangling in his hair, pulling on it tightly. A deep groan shook his body as he gathered her in his arms, seating her in his lap completely. She sighed his name breathlessly, getting lost in the intensity of her feelings, the potency of his kisses, addictiveness of his touch, the sparks he sent through her body.

They were getting lost in each other, everything they did making their hearts beat faster, their breaths getting shallower, eyes falling shut as they were letting themselves fall into the feeling.

And then the sound of a text message pierced through the air, breaking them away. Ethan groaned loudly, his head falling backwards, annoyed.

“How come we always get interrupted? Is it really so bad that I want you?” he said, his eyes still closed.

“You should probably see what it is. Could be important.” She whispered, stroking his cheeks softly. She moved out of his lap, smiling at him softly.

He moved to the kitchen counter where his phone was, picking it up, cursing it for interrupting him. Something about this day was trying to kill him, trying to keep him away from her.

The screen came to life under his touch and he didn’t really pay attention to who sent the message until he saw what it said. Then he looked at the sender and his body went stiff, paralyzed for a short moment.

_From: Claire_

_I love you_

He turned back, only to find her standing behind him, a shy smile on her face, her hands on the back of her hips. He looked from the text to her and back, unable to believe what was happening.

“You- you mean it?” he stuttered, suddenly feeling breathless and full of life at the same time. She nodded slightly, evidently keeping her distance.

“Of course I do. I’ve known that for a while now.”

“I wanted to say it first.” He murmured, his eyes finding hers, his hands grabbing hers softly. One deep breath and he let go, the moment finally feeling right.

“I love you.”

The words rang through the air, sinking into them both, setting their feeling firmly into their fate. She nodded, tears pooling in her eyes as she threw herself onto him, a relieved laughter leaving her.

“You have no idea how much I wanted to hear you say that.”

“I’ll be telling you that for the rest of my life.”

They met in a passionate kiss, their hands exploring each other’s bodies, feeling all the barriers and walls falling. She wrapped her arms around his neck, jumping in the air and locking her ankles behind his back. His hands flew to the back of her thighs, his fingertips grazing her bottom, drawing a surprised yelp from her lips.

“How about you keep your word and throw me on that bed of yours? I’m wondering if it’s as comfortable as I remember…” she whispered into his ear, biting his earlobe and pulling on it.

Without another word he carried her to his bedroom, kicking the door shut behind them, approaching the bed slowly. Then, without a warning, he let her fall onto the mattress, staying put and watching her body, splayed on his sheets, a stark contrast between his white comforter and her fiery, red hair. She bit her lips as she looked up at him, her hand reaching up for him. He laced their fingers together and was taken by surprise when she pulled him on top of her, welcoming his weight with a playful squeal.

“I want you out of those clothes. And I want it now.” she spoke clearly, her fingers already working on the buttons of his shirt. He complied to her wishes, his own hands unbuckling his belt, sliding his pants down and off his legs. When he was left in his underwear, she grabbed his arms and flipped them over, tracing the lines of his muscles with the tip of her finger. Watching, mesmerized as his flesh contracted under her touch. He whimpered quietly, observing her with curious eyes.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, drawing her attention to him. She leaned forward, placing a delicate kiss on his shoulder before retreating from bed and leaving the room. He called out after her but she didn’t respond.

After what felt like hours, but in fact was only minutes, she came back. Stunning him so much he fell back against the bed again. She got rid of her clothes, holding something in her hands. Upon closer inspection he realized that it was the cake she brought earlier. The only thing was, she had no forks.

“To answer your previous question, I’m thinking it’s time for dessert. And I think it would taste best… give me your hand…” she requested and when he did, she placed a piece of cake on his outstretched palm. She took a hold of his wrist, locking her eyes with his as she leaned down, her mouth wrapping around the chocolate treat slowly, almost suggestively, with a playful spark in her green irises. Licking his hand clean, she felt him shiver as he watched her actions. “Delicious. As I knew it would be. So, would you allow me to enjoy my dessert?” her eyebrow went up and she smirked when she saw his eyes darkening.

“I’m yours.” He murmured, nodding his head slightly. She winked at him, before she turned back to the cake, ripping it into a few smaller pieces, thinking about where to put them.

Keeping him in the dark, she considered all the possible places on his body. He was still stunned by her previous actions, his eyes observing her body, clad only in her underwear, curves illuminated by the lamp in the corner of the room.

“Keep still.” She breathed as she placed the first piece of cake on his forehead. He laughed, but opened his lips to protest. “I’m serious, if you move, the cake will fall on the bed, and you will get crumbles all over it.” she pressed a barely felt kiss to his cheek. “What a waste that would be.”

He complied again, holding himself steady as she proceeded to leave the cake on his body, further down as she went. His forehead, his throat, his chest, his navel, both of his legs. Each time, her fingers brushed his skin, leaving him a whimpering mess.

Her eyes sparkled in the dim lighting as she placed a piece on his lips.

“Now, that should keep you from talking. Remember, absolutely still.”

And then she placed the final piece on his underwear, making him gasp as her fingers brushed along his length. She giggled at his reaction, leaving that part alone and moving down to his legs. She kissed up from his ankles to the first piece of cake, sucking on the skin softly as she ate the sweet treat. Making her way up, she collected two other pieces, then switched to his other leg, repeating the action. Each time she reached him length, she retreated, allowing her hair to brush against him, a ghost of a touch, but never enough to bring him any sort of comfort.

Changing her direction, she moved up his body, eating the piece from his forehead, leaving a tender peck there before kissing down the side of his face, completely missing his mouth, keeping him silent.

As she moved to his throat, eating her cake calmly, she felt his body tensing and relaxing, impatient sounds coming out of his muffled mouth. She smirked, her lips grazing the muscles of his chest, cleaning it thoroughly, liking in places where frosting dripped onto his skin, causing him to gasp continuously.

And then there were two pieces left. She knew it, he knew it, and that made them both giddy with excitement. She leaned down, very slowly, so much so that before she even touched him, he let out a sound of protest, and as he was in the middle of his complaint, she touched him. Her lips brushed against the fabric of his boxers as she picked the piece of cake up, tasting the rich chocolate on her tongue. He thought he would lose it the moment her lips touched his length through the material, and then he felt her fingers pulling his underwear down and he thought he was dying.

She sat on her bended legs, her hand tracing circles around him, but never really touching him where he wanted, always retreating at the very last minute. Finally, when his eyes were so dark they might as well have been black, she pressed her hand to him, and he let out a muffled yelp, his hips snapping up to meet her touch. She giggled, wrapping her hand around him slowly, testing the waters as she moved up and down, letting his voice guide her.

At first, she planned on eating the cake from his mouth last, after she had her fun with him, but then she decided she no longer cared, and she really wanted to hear him. Their faces were leveled as she bit off half of the cake, pressing the rest into his mouth, letting him taste it. He licked his lips clean, sighing contentedly. She smiled, retreating back down, her eyes on him as she pressed a hesitant kiss to the tip, watching as his pupils dilated rapidly, his mouth opened slightly. With a ever so present smirk, she wrapped her mouth around his length, reveling in the sounds he was making, the moans that were escaping his lips despite his best efforts to keep them down.

His hands tangled in her long, copper hair, pulling on it, guiding her as she worked him. His touch, even the slightest one, did unspeakable things to her, exciting her, bringing every nerve ending to life, sending electricity through her body. She hollowed her cheeks as she took him in deeper and he pulled on her strands particularly hard, causing her to groan deeply in her throat. The vibrations sent him to another level of pleasure, a guttural growl slipping from his lips. Claire retreated as she felt him getting closer, looking at him from beneath her thick lashes.

“Do you want me to finish you off like this?” she asked, her hand back on him, teasing him as she spoke.

“Please.” He choked out an answer, his need for her taking the front seat as everything else got pushed to the back. It was her and him, nothing else.

“So impatient.” She laughed, leaning back down, kissing down his length.

“I’m just a man, Claire.” He groaned as she took him back into her mouth, her efforts doubling, tripling, as her newest goal was to get him to come in record time. There was time for teasing, and that time was over.

Her nails dug into the sides of his thighs, increasing the pleasure he felt, and she felt his legs shaking softly the more pressure she applied. With his hands still in her hair, she continues helping him along, and as she felt his fingers curling in her strands, a hum of approval reverberated in her throat, giving him the final push he needed. He came with a strangled cry, his hips trashing as she held him down, helping him come down from his high.

“Did you enjoy your dessert?” he asked, still panting, his heartbeat calming down.

“I did, but not as much as you did.” She smiled, kissing him on the cheek.

He flipped them over, his fingers finding the clasp of her bra almost immediately, letting the garment fall away from her body slowly, revealing her skin slowly. He pressed his lips to her breast with precision, kneading the other as he held her close, her small cries guiding him as he went.

“Ethan… please…” she moaned, her hand guiding his free one to the apex of her legs, telling him what she wanted, what she needed, and he complied immediately. He hooked his fingers into her underwear, pulling it down and throwing them behind him impatiently, his fingers grazing her soft flesh there. Teasing the bundle of nerves, rolling it between his thumb and his index finger. His pace was relentless, and he pressed one finger into her, listening to what her body was telling him.

“I want you- I need you, Ethan. Please- oh….” She moaned as she rode his fingers, her eyes closed, her teeth sunk into her lower lip.

He retreated his fingers and aligned himself with her, kissing her lips softly before bracing himself on his arms and pushing in. The feeling was everything he remembered it to be and more, so much more. His memories were dull in comparison, not doing it justice. Not doing _her_ justice.

Her hands grabbed onto his shoulders as he pressed against her, their paces picking up slowly over time until the only sounds in the room were the sounds of their bodies moving together and heavy breaths, long and deep moans that escaped them when they were not able to hold them back.

The amount of emotions he was feeling was overwhelming, fueling his desire for her even more, and he could feel himself slipping again, slowly, her voice making him lose control. She was close too, her grip on him tight, the way her hips snapped up to meet his, time and time again, not as precise as it was mere moments ago.

“I love you.” He whispered, his forehead falling against her shoulder, his shoulders moving up and down rapidly as he panted, holding Claire closer as he slipped his arm underneath her, embracing her waist tightly. She groaned at the change of the angle and her legs wrapped around him as she chased her release with him.

Then finally, after a few more thrusts, she came, crying out his name, her body squeezing him in just a perfect way to pull him with her as they fell, their voices mixing in the perfect symphony of pleasure.

Laying there, together in bed, spent from their closeness, they didn’t say much. Or do much. They just were there, and that was enough. Ethan moved to throw the duvet over both of them, gathering Claire in his arms again, his lips by her ear.

_“Did I mention that I’m in love with you…” _he sang sweetly, and she laughed, snuggling closer to him before sleep took them both.

“I knew you could sing.”


	13. XIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "All's well that ends well to end up with you"

“Take that! You will never beat me!” Luce exclaimed as she threw three black +4 cards onto the pile between her and Ethan, laughing as his face drained of color.

“I should have known better than to go for the princess of games.” He smiled as he picked up 12 cards from the stack. “I’ll have you know that this game is broken. Twelve cards and _nothing_ useful? UNO is overrated, I prefer chess.”

“I beat you in chess too, Dr. Ramsey. Maybe you should pick an opponent that’s actually your level.” Despite her young age, she was surprisingly quick-witted.

“You’re becoming more sarcastic with each day. I’m blaming all of this on Claire.” He sighed as he threw two blue cards onto the pile.

“What about me?” a cheerful voice pierced the air and moments later red ponytail came into the view as she backed into the room. “Yes, thank you!” she said to someone and then turned back to Ethan and Luce.

She walked over to the little girl, hugging her delicately before moving to stand next to Ethan, kissing his hair as he hugged her to his side.

“How are you, sunshine?”

“I am destroying Dr. Ramsey in every game we play. He’s so crushed, he’s shorter than me!” she exclaimed, and fist bumped Claire as they both giggled.

“Poor Dr. Ramsey, is your ego bruised?”

“I’m never letting you two be alone in the same room, no good things come out of this.” he groaned as his head fell into his hands. Claire put her hands on his shoulders, squeezing him lightly.

“Don’t be so dramatic, you know you love it.”

Luce watched the scene with a big smile on her face.

“If you’re going to kiss, please do it when I’m not in the room okay?” she said, making the doctors look at her in surprise.

“Shouldn’t you be resting after the operation?”

“I am.” Luce laughed again, falling back against the pillows. Claire shook her head, pulling Ethan up by his hand.

“Okay, you get some sleep, we’ll see you later, precious.” She kissed her forehead before they went out of the room.

On their way to the nurse’s station he caught her hand in his, their fingers laced together as they talked calmly about Luce’s kidney transplant. Their colleagues passed them, not giving their closeness another thought.

“I love watching you with her, you get so soft and gentle.” She mused, referring to Luce and Ethan’s relationship.

“You’re saying that as though I wasn’t gentle with other things.” He shot back, a loving smirk on his lips.

She was about to respond, when her pager let out a sound, notifying her of an emergency. She kissed him quickly and ran off without another word. He stayed behind, watching her go away until she disappeared behind the corner. He made his way to his office, a smile plastered onto his face permanently.

Behind the closed door he could finally let himself laugh. Being with Claire made his days lighter, it was all just easier. Naveen, being Naveen, teased him endlessly, but he knew he was proud of him. finally, after years of denying himself any happiness, he let the life happen. And he couldn’t be happier about it.

“I told you that you can be happy.” Naveen’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. He was sitting on the couch, his arms folded over his chest, smirking at the attending.

“Naveen, you can’t keep doing that, one of those days you’re going to give me a heart attack. What are you doing here anyway?”

“I came to ask how Luce is feeling, I didn’t have time to go and visit her.” he looked at Ethan expectantly.

“She’s okay, there were no complications, she is resting now. And her humor didn’t suffer, she is still as sarcastic as she can be, all Claire’s doing.” He replied, smiling as he thought back to his girlfriend.

“You two are perfect for each other. Makes me so happy that my plan worked.”

Ethan’s eyes widened at those words, considering all the events of the past few weeks. Everything fell into place as he added what his mentor just said. The look of disbelief melted his features, causing Naveen to burst out laughing.

“Of course you planned it, you always liked mischief. How much people did you have to bribe to make it happen?” he sighed, moving to sit down next to the older doctor.

“A lot more than you can imagine. The whole board, since we were going to be two doctors short. A few doctors, since it meant more workload. Natalie, though I didn’t have to bribe her, she agreed with me.” He started explaining, naming people after people.

“Wait. So the whole ‘running with her camera after us’ act was _your _idea?”

“Oh no, that was her, and I must say, I’m impressed. And I’m proud of you two too, you used all the opportunities to its fullest, and it got you exactly where it should have.” With a grin, he stood up, moving to the door. Just as he was about to walk out, he turned back around. “You and Claire should join me for dinner this weekend, it would be my pleasure.” and with that, he was gone.

\--- --- ---

The water was moving slowly against the sand, far enough to not soak the blanket they were sitting at. The evening was turning into the night, the sun slowly descending towards the horizon. His arm was wrapped around her waist tightly as her head rested on his shoulder in blissful tranquility.

“So it was Naveen all along. I am _so_ impressed; I’ll have to buy him chocolate for it.” she laughed as she heard the whole story. Turning her head to the side, she pressed a kiss to his neck softly, nuzzling her nose against his skin. He hummed, leaning back, pulling her along with him.

Claire rolled on top of him, placing her hands on his chest and laying her head on them, watching him. His eyes were closed, breathing slowly, the wind moving his hair slightly. Keeping her close, his arms tightened around her. After a long day of running around in the hospital, a moment to wind down and just rest was something they both longed for and needed.

Her eyes fell shut too, which made it impossible for her to see the smirk that passed his features, seconds before he flipped them over, pinning her to the ground with a laugh. Before she could say anything, his lips pressed against hers, taking her breath away. A sound of surprise escaped her lips as her hands came up to grab his hair, pulling on the strands while their kiss grew in intensity.

Ethan held himself over her on his arms, his hands gripping her shoulders. They both slowed down, moving their lips lazily as they basked in the last strays of sunlight. Claire pecked him one last time before moving them both into a sitting position, wrapped tightly in his arms as they watched the sun go down.

“I knew we would be alright.” Ethan muttered under his breath, catching her attention.

“What?” she whispered, turning her head to the side to hear him better.

“I knew we would be alright. Even with all that happened between then and now, with how I screwed up… I knew we would be okay.” He explained, his arms hugging her to him just a little tighter.

“How? You see the future?” she joked, turning in his arms, facing him. He shook his head, a delicate and faint blush on his cheeks.

“I don’t have to, though I wish I did. But that’s not what I meant. Maybe you happen to remember one day in Paris…” he trailed off, a gentle smile on his lips.

“Oh, I don’t know, there were a lot of those… care to remind me?”

“Well, it went something like this…” he whispered, pressing their lips back together. She giggled, gasping as he bit her lip. She leaned back, nuzzling their noses against each other.

“Yeah, I remember that day very vividly. What about it?”

“The temple we went to see… the temple we kissed in… it’s called The Temple of Love.” He admitted, seeing how she smirked, her arms wrapping around his neck.

“And here I was thinking you couldn’t possibly get more attractive, you go and pull off such romantic gestures. Something tells me there is more to the story though. Spill, Mr. Loverboy.”

“There is this belief, that when two people who love each other kiss there, their love will be strengthened. And I knew I loved you then, just as I love you now. So, yeah… I was sure we would find our way to each other.” He finished, his cheeks now flaming under her intense stare.

Instead of responding, she threw herself at him, pinning him to the ground and kissing him. Kissing until their breaths were gone and they were getting lightheaded. Through all they’ve been through, even when they came crushing down, over and over again, they came back every time. Even in a crowd of thousands, even if separated by a million reasons and obstacles, they would find each other.

Again and again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! <3  
-P


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